The Lady in White
by Jonathan Anubian
Summary: Liera isn't sure how she appeared on a battlefield. The last thing she remembers is hiding out in an abandoned temple of dubious origins. But when she feels the pain of nearby sentients all concern is tossed aside. For Liera has always been a healer, and she has a job to do. To the Jedi she may be a heretic but to the clones she's an ally. This is the 3rd story in a Series!
1. Prologue

Staring at the stark white helmet laying on its side just out of reach he grimaced in confusion. Everything around him was a haze of blaster fire, the cacophonous sounds of battle, and a searing pain that started from his midsection and radiated outward. Shifting against the jagged rock at his back he lifted himself with one arm before something sent a sharp wave of agony through his body. Reaching down he pressed his hand against his abdomen and lifted it away. He wished he had the ability to curse but all that comes out when he tries is a gurgling cough of red foam. Closing his eyes he lets his head fall back to the ground, gathering his resolve. There's no way anyone is coming to save him, even if he could be saved.

_'All I want is to live. Live and see my brothers safe.'_ He wonders if it's too much to ask, if he even has the right to wish for it. Darkness clouds the edges of his vision and a startling cold is slowly creeping through him. It isn't enough to make him feel completely numb but it is almost comforting.

Just as he's finally beginning to accept his fate, giving up on the hope of anyone helping him, a bright flash of light distracts him from his spiraling thoughts. Pure white fills his vision and he wonders if he might have lost his ability to see altogether. Then he feels a hand against his head and he lets out a choking gasp. It was one of his brothers, they'd found him. He has no doubt that he won't make it, he'd glanced down at the absolute ruin of his digestive system, but at the very least he can be with a brother in his final moments. Someone who will remember him not as a random clone but as a person who had fought and died on the battlefield.

He thinks they may have placed a hand on his chest as well but he can't be sure, everything feels so distant. A gentle voice calls out to him, sounding unfamiliar but clear as a bell. "Shh, be still. I won't let you go, I've got you." Slowly a feeling he can only describe as a warm cloud chases away the cold numbness in his body and he wonders if this is what the final moments of death are like. If maybe his brothers passing had been peaceful in the end.

The warmth becomes a scorching heat and he cries out in pain. Gasping he opens his eyes and is confused by his ability to see. Hovering above him with a stern expression of concentration is a humanoid of a species he's never seen before. With skin a milky white and pale rose-gold hair that flows long over slender shoulders. Glowing lavender eyes, a sharp splash of color on an otherwise blank canvas, catch his gaze and hold him captive. As if noticing his newfound lucidity the humanoid gives him a small smile that is both reassuring and kind.

"You won't be dying today, little light." There is a gentleness in that voice he has never heard before in his life and it is both beautiful yet unsettling.

"What is your name?" Focusing on the voice and words he comes to the conclusion that the one holding him is a woman. Or maybe it is the feeling in the air around him. He can't quite decide.

"C-Clip, Sir." The smile he receives in response makes something inside his chest curl in embarrassed shyness.

"I'm Liera. Nice to meet you Clip." Slowly the warmth begins to leave him as she takes her hand away from his head and chest. Around him the sounds of battle suddenly reassert themselves as his awareness snaps back into place.

Movement behind the woman catches his eye and he has no time to think about why he's suddenly able to focus. A super battle droid comes around some of the scattered debris and aims its guns at them. Clip's eyes go wide and he grabs his gun, pulling it up to aim at the enemy. "Look out!"

What happens next completely boggles his mind.

Before he's even able to finish his warning the woman is on her feet, turned to face the threat. From her hands blinding light erupts as the droid opens fire. With the strange woman in his way he didn't dare take a shot and now his gun lays forgotten in his lap as he openly gapes. One moment she'd been right in front of him and the next? She was carving the droid into multiple pieces after deflecting its attacks.

Clip had seen Jedi on the field before, from a distance. But never had a chance to watch one up close like this. His gaze went to the weapons in her hand and he had a moment of confusion. In all of the stories he'd heard about the Jedi their weapons had one of two colors. Blue or green. But the twin sabers held by this one were blindingly white.

Turning off her sabers he woman clipped them to her belt with a look of disgust at the pile of scrap that was once a super battle droid. Turning back to him she came closer, eyes appraising him carefully. He couldn't help straightening under her gaze, trying to sit up as straight as he could. Her eyes dart down to the helmet at her feet and she hesitantly picks it up, dusting it off as she does so.

"Do you need a hand up?" She asks him, sounding hesitant and a little lost.

"No General, I'm fine." Her face scrunches slightly in confusion as she holds out the helmet for him to take with trembling hands. Getting a closer look at her he wonders if all jedi look as strange as she does. Her hair is pulled back, using a braid on either side of her head to keep it out of her face. He doesn't see the typical braid he'd been taught to associate with a padawan commander so he assumes she is either a knight or a master. The robes he's been trained to recognize are nowhere to be found. Instead she is wearing a white blouse with sleeves cuffed at the wrist, a pale cream colored vest that hugs her slender curves, and fawn colored pants to match the sash-belt around her waist. A brighter color draws his attention to her left arm and he blanches at the streaks of dark red soaked into the white fabric.

"General! Are you injured?" He blurted out, getting to his feet with a helmet in one hand and weapon in the other.

"What? No. The blood isn't mine." She's staring at him in concern and he can't figure out why. It takes him probably longer than it should to finally clue in. Looking down at his own body he gapes at the missing armor and large gash in his black undersuit. Blood stains the entire area but he feels no pain whatsoever. Where once he'd been able to clearly see his own insides there is nothing but perfectly unharmed flesh. Like the last ten minutes never even happened.

"What?" The sound that comes out of his mouth is a wholly undignified squeak. His mind reels in confusion, trying and failing to comprehend the new situation. "How?" Tearing his eyes away from his healed abdomen he gazes down at her with no small amount of awe.

"I used the Force. I'm sorry about the pain. I had to extract shrapnel from the wound and I don't have any medical supplies right now." He supposed that made sense. The force wasn't something he really understood so he just nodded.

Staring off to his right she frowns as her eyes begin to give off a faint light, as if lit from within. If she hadn't just saved his life he might have been disturbed by it. But her focus was clearly elsewhere. Her eyes flicked back to him then away again. "I can feel more weakened life forces nearby."

Letting out a small sigh she looked at him fully, eyes apologetic but determined. "I'm sorry I cannot fight with you. But I have a duty to the injured and the dying." In Clip's opinion that's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Don't worry yourself, General. We can handle the fighting." Her brows knit with a frown and she looks at him as if he's mistaken. He's surprised how expressive her face is considering the jedi are supposed to be calm and serene at all times.

"Force be with you." Nodding at him she turns away and begins running off, in the distance he can see another fallen brother is her target. For a moment he hesitates. He should be rejoining the battle fighting the seppy clankers. But… if she was going to be helping injured brothers she wouldn't be able to protect herself at the same time. The urge to protect the jedi overrode his urge to fight. Ramming his helmet on his head he followed behind her at a slow jog, eyes peeled for danger.

Kneeling next to the wounded trooper she placed her hands on his helmet to remove it but had to back away when the man startled. Catching up Clip crouched in front of his brother. "It's alright, Slick. The General is here to help." Relaxing when he recognized he was in no danger his brother allowed his helmet to be removed without fuss. Giving him a curt nod of approval he stood and kept watch on the surrounding area while the jedi worked.

From this side of things there was nothing special to see as the jedi placed her hands on Slick's forehead and chest plate. Only her eyes and the feeling in the air seemed to change at all. The feeling of warmth he recognized from his own healing but now there was an undercurrent of something else he couldn't quite place… Glancing down at his brother he took in the expression of awe on his face and it clicked. Hope. The feeling she gave off was hope. A lump formed in his throat and he had to swallow multiple times to force it away.

When was the last time he'd felt this hopeful?

A minute or two later the jedi was pulling her hands away, giving Slick a small smile. "You're good enough to move now. I've fixed the worst of the damage but I need to save my energy. You'll need a medic later for the more minor injuries." Getting to her feet she stepped back to give him room and turned her focus back to the battlefield. Like before her eyes began to give off a faint glow as they went slightly unfocused, as if she was seeing into the very fabric of reality. For all Clip knew- she was.

"Alright Slick?" He asked, reaching down to help his brother to his feet. The awed crossed disturbed look he got in return made him grin behind his helmet.

"What the fuck was that?" Clapping the man on the shoulder he looked back at the jedi with a shrug.

"I don't know, the force?" Slick gave him an unimpressed look. "All I know is that she's helping our brothers, and if she's doing that then I'm going to watch her back." Slick nodded thoughtfully and slipped his helmet back on before picking up his own weapon.

Without another word the jedi was suddenly off running again. If she'd heard their conversation she gave no indication of it. But she wasn't giving them any orders to stay away or return to the fight so they took her silence as acceptance.

They made their way across the battlefield, meandering and sometimes backtracking. It honestly made no sense to Clip but he supposed he wasn't the one with the mysterious powers so he couldn't be sure what she was seeing that he couldn't. Sometimes they would pass a wounded brother and her face would become sad. "I'm sorry, I can't help you right now." The words sounded as if they pained her to say. But they all understood, it was triage.

More brothers joined their group and Clip wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, they were nearly a whole squad now.

There were a few times where they had to stop and fight off an unexpected attack from droids but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. While the jedi wasn't as skilled as Generals Kenobi or Skywalker she was still a jedi and able to hold her own. The fact that she wielded twin lightsabers like Commander Tano and cut down the droids with an almost vicious intent just boosted the troops approval of her.

The only thing that seemed a little odd was when she asked them to help her move a large chunk of debris. She'd seemed almost bashful when she explained her control of telekinesis was sorely lacking. So while she could lessen the weight of the large metal slab she could not actually move it out of the way. It took them a moment to coordinate but the slab was soon being shoved out of the way, freeing three trapped brothers.

The moment the slab was out of her way she bolted inside the wreckage and fell upon a trooper who was covered in blood. Immediately she removed his helmet and was closing her eyes to focus as their freed brothers eyed them curiously. Clip let the others explain as he watched the general, concerned by how desperate she seemed. His suspicions were sadly proven right as her hands fell away from their fallen brother and she stared down at him with a profound sadness that he could practically feel.

It was their first loss. Gently she closed the man's eyes, placed his hands over his chest, and placed his helmet on the ground above his head. She bowed her head and clasped her hands together, as if in prayer. "Faas nihar juehaa. Meialhaas hiif aouul lalleea." The words were spoken in a soft reverent voice and meant absolutely nothing to him. Looking at his brothers he wasn't surprised to find they had no idea what they meant either. When she was done speaking she gracefully rose to her feet. Clip noticed that her clothes were even more drenched in blood but she didn't seem to notice.

"If you have respects to pay then please do. But I cannot stay here any longer. There are more lives that need to be saved." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." In those two words he could hear the depths of sadness she felt for the loss of one clone and it left him absolutely speechless. But even as he and his brothers were trying to wrap their heads around it the jedi was already on the move. Her eyes burning with determination.

By the time the battle came to a close the jedi had saved forty-one of their brothers from the jaws of death. They lost three. He could tell that each loss affected the jedi deeply but she didn't let it stop her from moving on to the next life that could be saved. If there was anything that could convince Clip the jedi were the uncontested good guys; this did.

Orders came over the comms and they all relaxed when they realised it was over. They'd won the engagement and were all expected to report in. The medics were already collecting the wounded. Relief swept through them. Even the jedi gave them a quick smile from the ground before she was finally pulling her hands away from her latest patient.

Sidling up next to her Clip took off his helmet and clipped it to his belt, holding out his hand to help her up. "Thank you, General. My brothers were saved because of you." Looking up at him she gave him a kind smile and took his hand. As he lifted her up he felt that something was… off.

"I'm glad to help. Now then, we should… be…" From one moment to the next her presence diminished and she was falling.

"General!" Reaching out he caught her before she could hit the ground. Carefully he lifted her into his arms, sharing worried looks with his brothers. Her body was completely limp, head lolling to the side. Placing his head against her chest he could hear her heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of her breath. Letting out a relieved sigh he cradled her unconscious form to him.

"What do we do?" He wasn't a shiny but Clip was still fairly new to the 501st. He didn't know what the procedure was for a jedi suddenly falling unconscious for no damn reason. Thankfully Lieutenant Rotor was among the group who had decided to stay back and protect the jedi. Already he was barking orders and calling in for a transport back to the _Resolute_.

Someone offered to take the general off his hands, Clip refused to let her go.

"Don't worry, General. I've got you."

* * *

Notes:

Liera's race is one I created myself. They are a naturally force sensitive people that see the world through the force. Unlike the Miraluka the Haasufeilians don't just see a persons force signature, they see into their very being. There is no such thing as dishonesty to them because they can see directly into someone's soul. This manifests in colors and sensations that are interpreted by the individual. Haasufeilians also revere bonds, especially family bonds, and are very free with their emotions.

The people of Haasufeiliah are all milky white skinned with light hair ranging from pale blonde to pure white and have vibrant eyes of all colors. In the dark their bodies actually give off a faint glow as they are naturally bio-luminescent.

**If you don't enjoy stories with OC characters as the lead then this might not be for you.** I will also be quite mean to the Jedi in the beginning, so please bear with me.

This fic will have Spoilers for Truth and Valor in later chapters. You have been warned.


	2. Who are you?

The battle was hard fought and hard won. But in the end the separatists were pushed back. All that was left of their troops were scattered heaps of twisted and broken metal. The wounded were already being seen to and the least tired of the troops were combing the battlefield to make sure there weren't any nasty surprises left for them. Standing quietly by the transport that would take him back to the _Negotiator_ he stared out at the wanton destruction and sighed. Only nine months into the war and already he was tired of the feeling of loss in the force. The last flickers of life before the sudden emptiness tried to swallow him whole. Taking a slow breath he let his emotions filter out into the force as he let the air flow from his lungs. It helped, but only just.

Lifting his wrist comm when it chirped at him he tapped the button. "Yes?"

"General." It was the commander. "Sir, there's been reports of a wounded jedi, but none of the men recognize who she is. We were hoping you could shed some light on her identity." Obi-wan's heart skipped a beat until the full scope of the commander's words made him sag in relief. There was a wounded jedi but it was not Anakin or Ahsoka. He should probably be more worried about his fellow jedi but at the moment he allowed himself to appreciate the fact that it wasn't his former padawan or grandpadawan who was wounded.

"I'll look into it when I'm finished here. Which infirmary has our mysterious guest been taken to?" There was the barest hint of a sigh in Cody's voice that made Obi-wan's lip twitch upward in amusement.

"The 501st has her, Sir." Which meant that their guest would be in Kix's capable hands.

"One question, Commander. Did anyone see what color our guest's lightsaber was?" He asked in a light tone but there was a knot of worry in his gut. The men should know by now that someone with a red lightsaber was to be avoided at all cost but there had been new recruits among the troops.

"From what I've read of the reports she had two lightsabers and they were both white, Sir." Obi-wan paused, frowning.

"Are they certain?" White was not a color he had ever seen or heard of before. But if there were multiple reports he couldn't just dismiss it out of hand.

"Yes Sir, there were multiple mentions of it." Well if it was some kind of trick he would find out soon enough once he got his hands on the lightsabers.

"Hm, I see. Thank you Commander. I'll be in touch again shortly." Once he was sure that there was nothing to do on the ground he would drop by the _Resolute_.

"Of course, Sir."

[***]

Entering the medical bay he could feel a faint flicker of surprise in the force and wanted to chuckle. It wasn't every day that he walked into the medbay of the _Resolute_. Noticing his presence one of the medical assistants stepped forward. "Is there something I can help you with, Sir?"

Obi-wan inclined his head politely. "I'm looking for your guest." There was a sudden recognition in the man's eyes.

"Of course, Sir. Let me show you to her room."

"I appreciate it." The assistant medic gave him a curt nod and turned down the hall to his left. Obi-wan followed a step behind.

They walked in silence, the assistant glancing at him every now and again. After a few moments of being carefully side-eyed Obi-wan finally raised a questioning brow. "Is something the matter?" He kept his tone playful, wondering what could make the man feel so uneasy in the force.

"Sir. I was wondering…" The man's voice tapered off, as if he were rethinking saying anything at all.

"Go on, I assure you that you can ask me anything without repercussion. Barring classified information of course." It was meant to be a slight jest, to calm him, but the man just took it in stride, nodding almost absentmindedly.

"Can all Generals… all Jedi heal?" The question made him pause. It wasn't really what he'd expected.

"I believe most of us have some small ability to heal but it takes a much greater gift to heal anything more than superficial injuries. It takes extensive training and a lot of energy to heal another sentient. In that regard Anakin has more natural ability than I do." He admitted easily. Anakin was strong in the force. Obi-wan had no doubt that if Anakin truly wished to devote himself to the art of healing he would be great at it.

"I see, Sir. Thank you."

Coming out of his own thoughts he smiled at the assistant. "You're very welcome."

Entering the section of the medical bay where the single rooms were located his brows rose at the amount of troopers that appeared to be standing guard. They tensed minutely as he came closer and he had to wonder whether they were here to keep the mysterious jedi from harming anyone, or if they were here to keep her from being harmed. Even though they stood as military straight as usual he could sense the worry in the air. Whoever she was she had already earned the respect of the troops. That could either be very good or very bad.

Coming inside the room he recognized Kix but not the three others who stood silently against the walls.

"General Kenobi, glad to see you in one piece Sir." Giving Kix a cheeky grin in response he stepped closer to the bed and looked down at the stranger. And she certainly was that; a stranger. He'd never seen anyone like her before except perhaps an albino human he'd met on a mission with Qui-gon once.

"How is she?" Looking at Kix he motioned toward the woman, though he knew he didn't really have to. It was pretty clear who he was referring to.

Pulling up the information on his datapad the medic scrolled through the information he'd gathered so far. "What I know for sure is that she's exhausted. A little dehydrated and malnourished but otherwise healthy. I've found no reason for her collapse other than just running out of steam." The man looked between him and the patient, clearly concerned. Obi-wan understood, a jedi falling unconscious for no reason was always a cause for concern.

Reaching out with his senses he tried to get a feel for her in the force. She felt elusive, muffled, as if her presence wasn't really there. Even this close he could tell that her shields were strong. Getting closer he placed a hand against her temple and concentrated on reaching her. Brushing against her consciousness he felt a sudden burst of light, as if he were standing in the middle of a star.

"General!" Blinking his eyes open he found Kix kneeling beside him on the floor, checking his pulse even as he ran a quick scan. Shaking his head he waved the man off, much to his annoyance.

"I'm fine." He tried to reassure the men in the room, much to Kix' consternation. "I should have been more careful. There are force techniques to rebuff intruders into the mind. Her shields are quite strong." He was actually a little impressed if he was being honest.

"Which begs the question why you would be so foolish as to test the shields of another force user without taking any precautions." The feminine voice made everyone in the room freeze as the woman slowly sat up, glaring at him in disapproval.

[Liera]

She was floating in the middle of an ocean of calming darkness. All around her were the faint flickers of spirit that encompassed all living things. Each one so new, so different, so beautiful. Reaching out she brushed her fingers against the spirit closest to her. Male, young yet mature. His life force an orb of the softest green filled with a steady blue and laced with a bright yellow. A stalwart friend who cared for all those around him and wasn't afraid to fight to keep them whole. Another spirit that was fairly close by was colored in giddy pinks and soft blues. Easy affection, friendly, steadfast and reliable. For the first time in a long time a truly happy smile crossed her face. Not one of them felt the least bit threatening. If anything they radiated a faint protectiveness and worry for her wellbeing. There was no suspicion, wariness, anger, or betrayal that she had become used to. Only curious young minds that felt grateful for her presence. If she had been awake she may have burst into tears.

She would stay forever in that place between oblivion and awareness if she could.

Then there was a new presence, much stronger and more disciplined than those around her. Pulling back she did her best to hide herself as she analyzed this new sentient. What she saw she did not appreciate. Unlike the gentle floating orbs of light this new spirit was compact, vibrant, and rigid. There were flecks of darkness in its bright orange depths, long cracks along its surface bleeding grief and an all encompassing need to feel loved and wanted. Snaking through the inner depths were the vines she always associated with force bonds. Each one shimmered with affection, attachment. Altogether the chaotic mess made her feel dizzy, even sick. There was only one kind of person who felt that jumbled to her senses; jedi.

Then of course the damnable man had to go and prod her with the force. Immediately she shoved back, forcing him away from her. Her unstable hold on her consciousness broke and her vision snapped as she was falling back to wakefulness. She heard a voice cry out as she slowly came awake. Opening her eyes she blinked at the strange apparatus above her. Nearby the orange jedi and the man she assumed to be a healer of some sort were on the floor. She must have pushed the jedi pretty hard if he'd fallen.

"I should have been more careful. There are force techniques to rebuff intruders into the mind. Her shields are quite strong." She scoffed as she slowly sat up, her body stiff and weak.

"Which begs the question why you would be so foolish as to test the shields of another force user without taking any precautions." She put as much heat as she could into her glare as she stared imperiously down at the orange jedi. Faint embarrassment and amusement permeated the air, although no one else seemed to take notice. Orange stood and gave her a polite smile.

"You were unconscious and Kix was becoming concerned. Medically there was nothing wrong with you but overuse of the force can be quite harmful." It was only a partial lie, a politician's response that was supposed to divert her attention- she would have none of it.

"Of course. It had absolutely nothing to do with a strange force user that you curiously could not get a sense of." The spirits around her resonated with mirth while there was a sense of indignation from orange. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she tried to stand but stopped when the healer placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You shouldn't try to get up right yet General." There it was again. Like an ingrained habit that came to them as easily as breathing. The word had no hint of deception either, it was what he truly believed her to be. It was starting to make her uncomfortable.

"Why are you referring to me as General? I don't remember signing up to be part of an army." Besides if they knew she was force sensitive and had brought a jedi to speak with her they must know that jedi do not take sides in conflict. They were not allowed military ranks. The mood in the room changed to one of confusion and surprise.

"Perhaps we should start with introductions?" Orange said, his cultured and prim voice even with forced calm. "I am Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi, General of the Grand Army of the Republic. You are?"

With a huff she placed her hands in her lap, feeling the healer next to her step away. He must have realized she had no intention of standing and decided he could trust her not to do something foolish.

The fact that a jedi master was claiming himself to be a general for the republic was disturbing news to her. There was no hint in the force that this was a lie so she had to wonder just what had happened since she was gone that the jedi would feel they needed to lead an army.

"My name is Liera Buraaisuh, of Haasufeiliah." Taking a calming breath she steeled herself for the next part. "Former Padawn of Jedi Master Ashfurr Paldrel." A pang of sadness echoed in her chest and she had to take a few more calming breaths. The loss of her master was still a bitter and brittle thing.

When no one made any exclamations at this revelation she looked between them all in confusion. All she could sense was curiosity, interest, and some discomfort. She blinked and began to frown. Was this some kind of ploy? A trick to get her to lower her guard? It wasn't as if she could defend herself right now so there was no real need to deceive her.

"Well?" She asked when the silence dragged on. "Are you not going to take me into custody, Master Jedi?" If her voice was tinged with cold anger she couldn't really help it. After all these years of running from them the jedi had finally caught up with her. In a room full of innocent bystanders she would not fight. Especially against a master and without her lightsabers. There were too many things that could go wrong if she were to try and fight now.

"I… beg your pardon?" That small hesitation in orange, Kenobi's, voice and his roiling emotions, quickly subdued, made her let out a sigh. Rubbing at her forehead between her eyes she shifted on the bed to get into a more comfortable position.

"Are you not going to arrest me, Master Kenobi? The Order has been hunting me for four years after the execution of my master; why would they suddenly stop now?" The discomfort in the room rose and with it came confusion and surprise. The spirits of those around her dimmed and she realized they were purposefully blocking themselves off. It was not an easy skill to learn but it was useful when working with jedi. Liera swallowed, feeling sick and nervous. As was the norm now she was utterly alone. One against many. Yet even as they retreated she could feel some of the wariness shift from her to the jedi standing a few feet in front of her. That was curious.

"Execution?" The word sounded indignant on his tongue. His eyes were filled with sheer disbelief and she wondered if she wasn't being too hasty.

"Did you not know?" She asked gently, uncertain of his intentions.

"I've never heard of Master Paldrel, nor his execution. Why would the Order be after you? Did… did you murder your own master?" The mounting feeling of horror made her blanch. Her shields must have taken more of a beating earlier than she'd thought if she was getting this much sensation from others without concentrating. She would have to rectify that when she had a moment to herself.

"No. I loved my master, he was like a father to me. I would never turn on him." The man watched her warily, waiting for her to continue. "It was the Jedi that ordered his execution."

"Let's say I believe you, which I do not because the Order would never… when did this take place?" He had to be joking… no. He wasn't.

"Four years ago. After the conflict on Pion." He gave her a strange look and she waited.

"I've no recollection of such a thing happening. However, I cannot deny that you saw something that you believe to be true, either rightly or wrongly. If you will give me some time I will look into this matter for you. I'm certain this is some sort of terrible misunderstanding." Focusing her intent on the man she felt the force ring with truth.

"I… alright." While she had seen her master's death with her own eyes, and it would take quite a lot to convince her that what she'd heard was some sort of misunderstanding, she was willing to give him the chance. She'd only been a padawan at the time and she could admit she had stumbled upon the situation with no context of what had happened before her arrival. For all she knew they could have been remnants of the sith pretending to be jedi.

"What will you do with me in the meantime?" A complicated look came over his face and her lips twitched upward into a smile.

"I'd like to ask you some questions, if that's alright?" Well, it wasn't like she had anything to lose. She nodded her ascent.

"Excellent. Now, tell me. How did you arrive on the battlefield?" All at once her mind went blank. Crossing her arms over her chest she stared at the floor but felt almost dizzy as she tried to recall her last memory.

"I… I don't know. I remember hiding in an abandoned temple and then… I'm not sure." Everything from that time was hazy. "It's almost like I went to sleep and just woke up there on the battlefield." She shook her head. "It was jarring. I felt all the death around me and I just had to do something about it." Her tone was sharp, intent. She knew she must look petulant but she couldn't bring herself to care. "There were men dying all around me, I couldn't in good conscience just leave them there." Especially with how young and innocent they all felt.

"You are a healer then?" She knew that tone of voice. It was the same one her master had used with her when he wanted to pry more information from her but knew that probing too much would be met with stubbornness. A melancholic smile came to her face.

"Yes. I took the advanced courses for healing as an initiate and was chosen as a padawan candidate early. I was asked by the Chief Healer to be his padawan but… it didn't feel quite right. I didn't want to stay in the halls. I wanted to help people, all kinds of people." The room was quiet as she spoke, those standing nearby listening quietly. "Master Paldrel was a Jedi Guardian, one of the Order's best Blademasters. He asked me to be his padawan and I thought his reasoning was sound. It took a lot of convincing for the council to allow me to be his padawan."

"Why would a Jedi Guardian want a healer for a padawan?"

"I think he could sense that I wanted more than to just sit in the halls of healing and waiting for patients to come to me. He told me that he could get me the experience I needed to be able to heal in any circumstance, and the ability to protect my patients if there was ever a need for me to do so." The fact that he also joked with her and said that it would be nice to have his own personal healer had been enough for her to like him. "I never did measure up to his standards when it came to lightsaber combat, but it was never my goal and he understood that." It was the other reason she had come to trust and adore her master. He knew that she was not a copy of him and didn't treat her like she should be. Unlike some masters who tried to make their padawans the spitting image of themselves.

"I see. That sounds very admirable." If he was trying to use flattery to lower her guard she was going to tell him he was being an idiot.

"What certifications do you have?" She blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift.

"I'm fully qualified as a force healer, mind healer, and battlefield medic. Master Paldrel had finally convinced me to go back to the temple to learn how to be a proper surgeon when…" Her eyes closed as she took a moment to acknowledge the feeling of loss before gently pushing it aside. She could take a moment for herself later.

Before Kenobi could ask another question she held up one finger. "Wait, please. Before you ask another question I have one of my own." Closing his mouth he motioned for her to continue.

"Since when did the Republic have an army? An army with Jedi as Generals? I thought the war with the Sith was over nearly three hundred years ago." Shock. Pure and unfiltered shock rang out in the force around them.

"I'm sorry, what did you way?" Shivering she wrapped her arms around her middle in an attempt to keep the chill of his surprise-denial-confusion away from her.

"The war against the Sith has been over for nearly three hundred years?" Everyone knew that… or at least she thought that everyone did.

"What is the last date you remember?" She wasn't sure why it was relevant but he seemed so intent on the answer she couldn't help but respond.

"263 ARR."

"That's… impossible." The words were spoken quietly, almost as if he hadn't meant to speak at all. His spirit trembled with so much confused denial that it made her visibly tremble.

"Are you certain?" That time he had meant to speak. She nodded slowly.

"Why? What's wrong?" He must have sensed the growing panic in her and tried to rein in his own emotions.

"If I were to use your way of keeping time then it is currently… 978 ARR. We like to call it Year 13 in the Galactic Standard Calendar." He was right the first time. That was absolutely impossible.

"But that would mean I'm… I'm…"

"Seven hundred and fifteen years in the future. Of course that hinges on the fact that you are telling the truth." She wanted to bristle at the accusation that she was lying but she too busy trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was no longer where she was supposed to be.

"Am I hearing this right?" A voice suddenly cut through the silence, drawing everyone's attention. The medic from before stood there with raw surprise on his face as he looked between the two force users. "What we have in my medbay is a _time traveling Jedi_?" When he put it like that it sounded like a cheesy holodrama.

"Actually… I'm no longer a Jedi. I renounced my faith." The man's eyes just grew wider. Kenobi sighed and pinched his nose.

"What does that mean?" Kenobi asked, exasperated.

"It means that I felt betrayed by the very people I grew up with, the people I loved and trusted!" She snarled before reining in her emotions. She could feel the poor souls around her were already shaken and she didn't want to hurt them any more than she already had. After a calm breath she continued. "It means I don't believe in the Order anymore, or their faith. All I believe in is the Force and my will to stay rooted in the Light." You couldn't be a healer if you fell to the darkside. "I told you, Kenobi. I. Am. A. Healer. Whether or not I follow the Code does not matter. It's what I choose to do with my abilities that does."

Silence. Thick and heavy with all kinds of emotions. Pulling herself together she tried to tighten her shields but was having trouble concentrating. There was something coming… something in the force. It wasn't like a warning for danger just… something big coming that she couldn't comprehend. Then she felt it. The pressure. Swamping the emotions and sensations of others in her sight. Each one swallowed by something that sang in the force.

"What is-" The door to the room opened and her breath hitched. It was like a supernova unleashed into the force. It tore through the room, worry-fear-anger-concern-love-confusion all of it jumbled together in a maelstrom of the force. She couldn't breathe. It was everywhere, all around her, and she was drowning in it.

[Anakin]

Walking down the halls of the _Resolute_ he turned toward the medical bay and headed straight for his master. For a while now he'd been feeling concern-confusion-shock through the bond so strongly it worried him. What could be so surprising about the mysterious jedi that it would make Obi-wan Kenobi lose his calm like this? If she was a sith he was not going to be happy. Especially since all the troops seemed to like her already. If what he'd overheard was any indication.

Opening the door he looked from Obi-wan to the woman sitting on the bed. She was smaller than he thought she'd be, around Ahsoka's size, and he briefly wondered how old she was. Her bright purple eyes stood out from her white face in a way that reminded him of the make-up Padme had worn when she was the Queen of Naboo. It was like looking at a ghost.

"Master, uh Obi-wan, are you okay?" Obi-wan turned to look at him and smiled. Even from here Anakin could tell it was a little forced.

"Oh I'm doing just fine, Anakin. Did you want to meet our guest?" He turned back to her and stiffened. Something seemed to be wrong with her. Her breathing came in short gasps as if she couldn't take a full breath and her eyes were staring blankly ahead. It was disturbing.

"Master?" He asked apprehensively. "Is she okay?" Kix started to scan her and shook his head, nothing. Whatever it was didn't show up on the scanner. The medic looked at them and threw up his hands.

Obi-wan got up and stepped closer, reaching out to touch her shoulder. He gasped and snatched his hand back as if bitten. Anakin stepped into the room, concerned for his master's wellbeing.

"Anakin, we need to work on your shielding." He said dryly as he headed toward the door. "You need to leave." He wanted to be stubborn, and ask what was going on, but the look on his master's face made him comply. Once they were outside and down the hall a little ways Obi-wan sighed.

"What was that?" He waved at the door.

"Your presence in the force is strong, stronger than anyone I or the Council has ever seen before. Her shields were down and she is very sensitive. Your presence was literally suffocating her." He sared at Obi-wan in horror.

"Seriously?" The man nodded, body sagging. He looked tired.

"I want to interview all of the men who were healed by her. If you could spare someone to help organize that I would appreciate it." Anakin smiled.

"Sure master, er, Obi-wan. I'll send Rex. He probably wants to get to the bottom of this too." Obi-wan nodded and reached up to squeeze his shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"Once she's feeling better I'll see about helping her shield herself from your force presence. But you, my former padawan, need to learn to tighten your shields as well." A cheeky smirk crossed his face and Anakin knew he was not going to like what he said next.

"You know what that means? Meditation." Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Aw, master!" He thought he'd be done with having Obi-wan hovering over his shoulder when he became a Knight. But even as he was complaining he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face when Obi-wan laughed. 

* * *

Looking for an Editor and Beta for this story as well as Truth and Valor. Feel free to send me a message if you're interested!


	3. Welcome Aboard

Standing behind General Kenobi he stared down at the trooper across the table, trying to keep the frown off his face. When he'd been asked to help interview the troops who'd interacted with the jedi now recuperating in the medical bay of the _Resolute_ he'd thought it would go by quickly. This would be their forty-first interview, the last thankfully, and he was starting to get a little agitated with the amount of praise this new jedi was getting. It wasn't that he thought the new jedi wasn't worthy of praise, she had gone out of her way to save his brothers after all. It was just that some of them seemed a little too attached to the idea of the new jedi. She wasn't _their_ general. Getting attached would just cause problems.

"CT-6248, Trooper, after action report regarding our guest force sensitive healer, debriefing overseen by General Kenobi." The general tapped on the datapad to bring up an image of the strange jedi captured by the trooper's helmet. The angle was off and Rex quickly realized the helmet was laying on its side away from where the new trooper had been laying, wounded.

"It appears that you are the first person to meet our guest force user. I'd like you to start from the beginning. Your first impressions, when did you recognize she was a force user, her reaction to being referred to as General, and why you chose to follow her instead of return to the fight." The trooper sat straighter, shoulders back, and gave a curt nod.

"It's… a little hard to explain, Sir. I wasn't fully conscious when she found me. I'd been hit by shrapnel, tore through my armor and did a number on my abdomen. I think the first thing I remember is seeing a bright flash of white light." Rex caught the general shifting in his seat, leaning slightly closer. This was new.

"The General spoke to me but I didn't really understand at first. All I knew was that everything felt warm and the pain was gone. I did feel a scorching heat at one point, the General told me later that she'd had to pull shrapnel out of the wound and apologized for the pain." General Kenobi laced his fingers, looking curious.

"She apologized to you? Why?" The trooper blinked, his eyes flicked up to Rex then down to the general again.

"She said she didn't have any medical supplies with her, Sir. So there was nothing she could do about the pain when she removed the shrapnel." Every report they'd read suggested that she'd appeared with only the clothes on her back and her two lightsabers. It sounded suspicious to him but the general hadn't filled him in on everything yet. All Rex knew were the rumours going around.

"I see. Please continue."

"At that point a super battle droid showed up and started firing. I would have returned fire but the General was standing between me and it. I tried to warn her but she already knew it was there." There was a hint of excitement in the trooper's voice as he continued. "That's when she drew her lightsabers. What she didn't dodge she deflected back at the droid. She ran right up to the clanker and sliced it into pieces." Rex cleared his throat audibly and the trooper, who had leaned forward in his excitement, immediately snapped to. Back straight and eyes forward, expression wiped of emotion.

"It's alright, Rex. I understand that things on he battlefield can be quite chaotic." Biting back a sigh he shifted from one foot to he other but didn't respond. "What happened next?"

"She came back, picked up my helmet, and handed it back to me. At that point I noticed the blood on her left sleeve and asked if she was injured. In all the excitement I kind of… forgot… that I had been wounded a moment before that." He looked sheepish and Rex couldn't help but snort in amusement.

"Everything just happened so fast, Sir." General Kenobi seemed perfectly capable of ignoring the creeping blush on the trooper's face as he ducked his head. Rex had to remind himself that Clip was from a later batch and was actually younger than he was. Not quite a shiny but not completely confident in himself yet as an individual.

"I understand. Was it then that you decided to follow her?"

"Yes, Sir. She did this… thing. With her eyes. They almost seemed to glow. She told me she could feel my brothers dying and was sorry she couldn't help with the battle. That she had a duty to the injured. She reminded me of the medics, Sir." Made sense to Rex. "She said 'force be with you' and just… left. She ran straight to another trooper. I'm not sure what made me decide to follow her. Maybe it was because I recognized CT-6245." Rex felt like there was more going on there, but he didn't say anything. Their numbers were close enough together that they had to be batch mates.

"I see. And her reaction to being called General?"

Clip frowns. "She didn't tell us not to call her General, Sir, but she never said that she was either." General Kenobi made a thoughtful sound and leaned back a little in his chair.

"Do you think she has any ill intent?" This was the question that always seemed to throw off his brothers.

"Ill intent, Sir? I'm not sure what you mean." There it was, the look of confusion. None of them thought to even question her. The moment they saw the lightsabers they instantly assumed she was a jedi general and followed her without question. It was all thanks to the training every one of them had received on Kamino.

"Do you think she is here to cause harm to you, your brothers, the war effort, or the Republic."

"No, Sir." There was conviction in that voice. More so than any of the others. It made him sigh. He glanced down at the General but the man was already deep in thought.

"We're done here, Trooper. Dismissed." The man stood, gave a crisp salute, and left the room. Closing the door behind him. Rex looked down at the General and scowled.

"He was the last one, Sir. I think the only person you have left to talk to is Medic Kix." The General seemed to come back from wherever his mind had wandered and he smiled.

"Yes, thank you Rex. I'll speak with him later when there isn't the possibility of a medical emergency." Standing he stretched. "For now I need to get into contact with the council." Picking up the data pad he scrolled through the reports before shaking his head.

"After you, Sir." As General Kenobi left the room Rex couldn't help but shake his head. It was like dealing with General Skywalker whenever he was working on his starfighter.

[Liera]

Liera groaned as she came back to the world of the conscious. Her eyes flickered open and she stared at the strange apparatus above her in confusion. Panic rose in her chest at the unfamiliar surroundings and she reached out with her senses. The presence of each innocent spirit that echoed back slowly soothed her fear until she felt calm enough to sit up. She tried to remember what happened before she blacked out but everything was fuzzy. She felt raw and sore, like she had stood outside in direct sunlight. Sunlight! The living supernova! She remembered now.

Closing her eyes she reached farther with her senses and could feel the very edges of the maelstrom. Thankfully they were far away from her now. It was a relief. She didn't think she could handle meeting whoever that was again any time soon. Settling herself into the lotus position she pulled her awareness in until all she could feel was herself. Her shields were in tatters, ravaged by repeated exposure to a powerful force presence. Breathing slow and deep she got to work unraveling her old shields and building up new ones.

When she'd first 'woken up' on the battlefield she had been overwhelmed by the feeling of death and loss in the force. Only her training and experience kept her levelheaded when she saw the horror in front of her. A man laying bloody on the ground, his own armor buckled and broken stabbing into his abdomen from some great force. Some sort of explosion, she assumed. His light was slowly growing dim and she was left with a choice that was no choice at all. Her entire life she had dedicated herself to healing, to saving lives even if it cost her own.

She had overreached herself trying to save as many lives as she could. Grudgingly she admitted to herself that this was an awfully bad habit and Master Paldrel would have scolded her terribly for ignoring her own limitations. The wave of grief that followed made her eyes burn behind her eyelids. Allowing herself to fall into the feeling she embraced the emotion. Admitting that she was sad that her master was gone and that it was okay to grieve made her feel calmer, more one with herself. Denying her emotions, the emotions all sentients shared, would only leave a leaden weight in her soul.

Opening herself to the force she felt the rush of power, like slow waves upon the shore. With her inborn senses she could 'see' the force around her as it gathered. A shimmering and unending rain of light particles that made up all life. It felt like coming home.

Liera wasn't sure how long she'd been alone like that, meditating and repairing her shields. Coming out of her meditation she blinked in confusion for a moment before seeing the man nearby. He was tall and broad shouldered with swarthy skin, military short black hair, and warm brown eyes. He didn't seem to notice she was aware as he placed a tray on the table next to her bed. It appeared to have a light meal and some water.

"Thank you." Uncrossing her legs she smiled gently at him. He stiffened in surprise at her voice and she felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

An unsteady smile crossed his face for a moment. "You're welcome Miss, and no harm done." The fact that he didn't call her General was a relief. Someone must have told them to refer to her as something else. She suspected Kenobi.

Reaching for the tray she lifted a spoonful of the… porridge perhaps, to her mouth and took a careful bite. It wasn't anything amazing but it was better than her last few meals. The man relaxed a little as she quietly ate her meal but didn't leave the room. Carefully she focused on his presence and smiled to herself. Blue, green, and a little yellow. A fellow healer.

"If you don't mind." He tilted his head slightly, one brow raising a little questioningly. "Can you tell me where I am? I assume this is a medical facility of some sort." Hos brow furrowed slightly and he felt guarded.

"You're in the medical bay of the _Resolute_." He finally said, as if that would make any sense to her.

"I'm sorry, the what?" She said after she'd swallowed another bite of maybe porridge. Her obvious lack of understanding had him confused, though his expression barely changed. If she wasn't so attuned to sensing others in the force she would never have known he felt anything at all.

"General Skywalker's flagship, the _Resolute_." Her continued lack of understanding made him shift on his feet, slightly agitated. It was as if not knowing was a slight against him.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I haven't been keeping up with anything for the last… four years or so. If it's common knowledge then I'm afraid I am sorely lacking." Now that she'd explained her lack of understanding he seemed to relax a little.

"Why don't you fill me in on what I missed? I wouldn't mind the company. It's… soothing to be around other sentients." After being alone for so long on dead worlds, running from anyone she might have made a connection with, the feeling of so many people nearby made her want to curl up and soak it in. The lack of darkness in them was such a relief after what she'd been through lately.

It took him a moment to consider her request but in the end he grabbed a chair and started talking. The more he explained about recent history the more she forgot about the unfinished meal in her lap. An utter gut-wrenching dread began to come over her as she listened. An army of clones. Clones! Bred and trained to fight for the jedi as their own personal army. Not even raised, from what she could piece together during the explanation of Kamino. A world she had never heard of before.

As he wound down, talking about recent engagements both won and lost, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Hasn't there been enough war?" She muttered to herself.

The man stopped talking suddenly and gave her a concerned look. "Miss?" His sense of hearing must have been sharper than she thought, or she'd spoken a little too loudly.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you. It's just… I've been on battlefields since I was eleven. Sometimes I wonder if there hasn't been enough war." She shook her head sadly. "I'm a healer, I don't like seeing anyone hurt." Even though she had done her fair share of hurting in the past.

He gave her a kind smile. "I understand, Miss."

Starting a new conversation about how the wounded troops were faring she learned that the medic's name was Patch, which she thought was very fitting. Eventually she finished her meal and he was called away to attend to some of his patients. He didn't promise he'd be back to talk with her, but he did wish her a swift recovery. She had maybe three hours to herself to continue meditating before she could feel Kenobi's presence.

"General." She said as he entered the room, not bothering to open her eyes. There was the faintest hint of a sigh and a feeling of annoyance in the force that made her want to grin. Grabbing a chair he set it down a safe distance from her and took a seat.

"Padawan." He replied, a hint of sarcasm coloring the word in a way that made her glare in his direction.

"I've spoken with the Council and they have come to an… agreement." She stared at him, letting the silence drag on. Eventually Kenobi ran out of patience with her and sighed aloud. This time she did grin. The jedi gave her the universal look of disappointment all masters perfected on their padawans but she didn't let it get to her. After all he was not her master.

"They are looking through the records to find any mention of your master and what may have happened to him. Although they are not certain of the validity of your statements they are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt." She had to hold herself back from rolling her eyes. That sounded like the council alright.

"For the time being we cannot bring you back to Coruscant. So the Council has decided you will stay with the 212th or the 501st for the time being." Seeing her blank look he clicked his tongue. "I am in charge of the 212th and Anakin Skywalker the 501st." Which meant staying on this ship or being taken to Kenobi's ship.

"If you can prove yourself trustworthy the Council is willing to let you continue to work as a Healer." Liera was certain there was a catch there somewhere but she didn't feel like trying her luck just yet.

"There are just a few questions I need you to answer." Well, there was one at least.

"Fine, what do you want to know?" The smile that crossed his face was aggravating.

"Are you working with, or for, the Separatists. Have you ever willingly used the dark side? And are you willing to submit to a full hearing when we return to the temple?" Straight forward enough but she couldn't help feeling there was a trap in there somewhere.

"I have no idea who or what the Separatists are. For all I know? I'm not working with them or for them, I don't even know their agenda. Whatever it is." Her almost flippant disregard for the topic made Kenobi stiffen slightly. She just pressed on, pointedly ignoring his reaction. "I have never willingly, or unwillingly, drawn upon or used the dark side of the force. You cannot be a true healer and use the dark side, Master Kenobi. Surely you know that." The dark side was about bringing pain and destruction. Granting power at the expense of ones morals. She had never and would never cross that line. To do so would be to lose everything that made her who she was, and everything her master thought she could be in the future.

"As for a hearing… I guess. I want to know what really happened to my master, Kenobi. Why I was being chased for four years, and what the Council thinks of my current… predicament." Being transported from her own time to seven hundred years into the future. Which she still couldn't quite wrap her head around.

"If that's all settled then, I would like to have someone give you a tour of the ship. You'll need to know where everything is if you're going to be staying here." Her eyes widened in surprise as the man gave her a soft smile. She really hadn't been expecting to be accepted so easily. Not after four years of running, scared for her life and grieving. She felt a lump form in her throat and wanted to scream at the jedi, ask him where he'd been years ago when she needed help most. Instead she took a steadying breath and gave him a tight smile.

"I don't suppose my clothes were cleaned and can be returned to me? The tunic and pants are nice and all, but I don't think wandering around looking like I've escaped the medical bay would be very helpful." Kenobi chuckled and and stood, pulling out a bundle of fabric and handing it to her.

"I'll wait outside until you are decent." Liera nodded. She would feel much more herself with her own clothes back.


	4. Like Fire

Crossing his arms over his chest Rex stood next to the wall in the main corridor leading to the medical bay. His orders, handed down by General Kenobi and approved by General Skywaler, were to show their new 'guest' around the ship. The woman was a near-human former jedi padawan, which meant she had similar skills to Commander Tano. How one stopped being a jedi he had no idea. The Generals were far too busy with the war effort to stop and give a scenic tour but the woman was too dangerous to leave alone with the regular troops. The fact that the Generals trusted him to take on a fuckin jedi if he had to was one hell of a confidence boost. Which meant he wouldn't be letting them down any time soon.

"Ah, Captain. There you are." Hearing the General's cultured voice he turned and gave the man a quick salute. Standing beside him was a petite woman who was at least a foot shorter than any of the brothers, almost the same height as Commander Tano. When he'd read the reports he'd scoffed at the description of her being like a 'ghost,' but now he could see where it came from. It was like someone had taken a human and sucked all the color out of them. She had soft white skin, not blinding or shiny, but he was pretty sure she would glow under the right conditions. Her hair was a washed out reddish blonde that could almost be called a pink. Even her clothes were white or near white. The only color on her were her eyes. They were almost disturbingly bright against the white backdrop of her skin.

"Captain Rex, this is Liera Buraaisuh. Professional Healer and guest force user." She gave the General a dry look but turned to him with a polite smile. "Liera, this is Captain Rex. He'll be the one showing you around." Faintly he noticed her eyes begin to glow and narrowed his own at her. If she thought he would be intimidated by that then she had another thing coming.

Her eyes widened in what may have been surprise as the glow began to fade. She averted her gaze, looking down at the floor. "It's a pleasure to meet you Captain." General Kenobi looked down at her, brows drawn together in a contemplative expression tinged with what may have been disapproval.

"Likewise." With the standard pleasantries out of the way the General clapped his hands with a polite smile.

"Well then, I have work to do. So I'll leave you in the Captain's capable hands." Rex may have been mistaken but he thought the woman's face gained a little color for a moment as the General gave them a short bow and went on his way.

The two of them stood there in silence for longer than was probably normal. Honestly he had no idea what to do with the woman and she wasn't very forthcoming. He cursed himself internally. He'd complained that the troops were treating her like a General and here he was waiting for her to issue orders like an idiot.

"Is there anything you're interested in seeing first?" Glancing up at him she smiled. Rex had a moment to realize that her lips were not actually the same color of white as her skin and were in fact almost a shade of peach before she started talking.

"I'm not sure. I've never been on a ship this large before and I've already seen the medical bay." From the way her lips curled into a playful smile he guessed she was trying to make some sort of joke. The small shrug and hand nervously rubbing at her arm afterward were signs of embarrassment, or nerves.

"Alright, we'll just start walking and I'll show you the most relevant places." A relieved smile and nod of approval was all he got in response. For someone who was supposedly chatty she was certainly being closed lipped.

Starting down the hall at his usual pace he headed toward the closest lift. There were a few relevant places she'd need to see, like the mess hall and the hangars. He'd start there. A ship the size of the Resolute was too large to just wander aimlessly. Looking back he noticed her lagging behind and sighed to himself as he slowed his pace. She was much shorter than he was and her strides weren't nearly as long. He was used to General Skywalker who was about the same height as the troops. When she caught up she gave him an appreciative smile before focusing back on their surroundings.

Taking the lift down to one of the two main hangars they skirted along the edges, keeping out of the way. Watching her for any sign that she would interfere he was confused at how nervous she looked.

"Is something wrong?" She flinched before reaching up and shifting her hair back over her shoulder, shaking her head.

"No, nothing's wrong." She muttered, moving out of the way of an astrodroid. "It's just… very different to what I'm used to." If he didn't know any better he'd say she looked almost frightened. She only started to relax once they'd left the hangar behind and were on their way to engineering.

Rex watched her carefully, wary of any sort of mind trick or force use that could end up hurting the ship or the men aboard. So far his impression was of someone out of their depth and trying not to show it. She barely asked questions other than to clarify where they were in relation to other parts of the ship. Every now and then he'd glance over to see her watching him, which was unnerving if he was being honest.

"This is the main mess hall. I'm not sure where you fall, rank wise, but for the time being you'll be taking meals here with the troops." The woman brightened at the prospect as they went inside.

The room quieted as troops started to notice the newcomer. It was like a ripple starting at the door and moving outward. Whispers started as the men stared, looking to him before looking back at the jedi. Rex ignored them as he turned and headed toward the back of the room, intent on finishing the 'tour' as quickly as possible with as few distractions as possible.

He didn't notice that she wasn't following him until he heard her voice above the quiet murmuring of the vode.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Standing next to a trooper she looked him over carefully, as if trying to judge how fit he was. Her tone was mildly concerned and her eyes had begun to glow faintly. The trooper sat there, frozen for a moment, before he realized she was expecting an answer.

"I feel fine, General." The man answered, his expression guarded. An exasperated but fond look crossed her face as she shook her head.

"Liera, please. Or Miss, if you have to." Looking at the seat she made a motion toward it and waited until the man nodded before sitting next to him. Rex let out a sigh and headed back the way he came, since it looked like she wasn't going to move any time soon.

"I wasn't sure if I'd healed you properly, I was pretty weak at that time. I never even got to ask your name before I fainted." The trooper blinked at her, mouth slightly agape before he finally relaxed and smiled.

"Torch, Miss, and you did a fine job. I only had a few scrapes and bruises when the medics released me." The look of open and pleased relief on her face made Rex falter on his way over to her. It made him wonder. This was the person that General Kenobi was so worried about?

"Nice to finally meet you properly." She looked around at the men sitting nearby, watching their conversation curiously. Some with open interest and others trying to act as if everything was perfectly normal.

"I hope I can meet you all properly later as well." She said, pitching her voice so it carried. "But I don't wish to make the Captain wait any more than he already has." Her eyes caught his and she gave him a slightly sheepish smile. Standing she put a hand on the trooper's shoulder and gave him a friendly pat. "We'll talk more later."

"Sorry about that. Where were we?" Mentally shaking himself as she hurried over, smiling apologetically, he motioned to the back door of the mess hall. She followed him without any fuss.

"Do you have any questions about where we've been so far?" He asked when the silence started to get awkward. She shook her head then stopped, looking thoughtful.

"A military vessel this large has to have somewhere you can exercise, right? Otherwise the troops would go stir crazy with no way to burn off excess energy." It was a simple observation but he couldn't help feeling wary.

"We have a training deck." Her eyes brightened with excitement.

"Show me?" He wanted to scowl at what sounded like a command but she'd made it clear with the inflection in her voice that it was a request and nothing more.

"This way."

Past the storerooms and down two lifts they stepped out into a decent sized room that split into three corridors. Turning right he motioned at the first corridor. "That way is the locker room and showers for the troops." He turned and motioned to the left. "That leads to the shooting ranges and obstacle courses." Turning to the last corridor he looked down at the jedi. "That leads to the larger training halls for unarmed combat."

"Is that where your Generals train?" Rex stiffened, eyes narrowing.

"…I'm sorry, I made you uncomfortable. I won't pry if you don't want to answer. I just… I'm curious about their lightsaber forms." She crossed her arms and shrugged. "I use a very acrobatic and defensive form, while my Master used a very grounded and aggressive form. I want to know if anything's changed since I… left." She glanced up at him then down at the floor, a small frown tugging at the corners of her expressive lips.

"Want me to be straight with you?" She asked quietly. Rex wasn't sure he liked that tone in her voice. She sounded small and unsure. She looked up into his eyes and he tensed. If she was trying to use some mind trick on him he'd be ready. "I'm bored."

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

"I'm sorry… could you repeat that?" Because he was pretty damn sure he'd misheard her.

"I'm bored." She let her arms drop and shifted her weight to one foot. "I was left alone for hours before anyone appeared. Patch came in eventually, to bring me something to eat, but he couldn't stay to chat for long. Then Kenobi showed up to talk and suddenly I'm traipsing around this huge ship." For a jedi she sounded pretty annoyed. Rex could relate.

"I'm interested in very few things, Captain. People, healing, plants, languages, and dancing." She huffed. "I have a sneaking suspicion I'll only encounter two of those things on a ship like this." She almost sounded petulant. Rex couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Then why are you interested in how the Generals fight?" She tilted her head slightly before a playful smirk crossed her face.

"But Captain, combat is a dance." Rex couldn't help the inadvertent smirk that crossed his face.

"Do you want me to just take you back to medical?" She thought about it for a moment before giving him a curt nod.

"Yes, please."

[Liera]

The trip back to the medical bay was much more pleasant than the tour itself. Inwardly she sighed with relief. The captain had been so suspicious of her that his agitation had started to effect her own mood. But finally it seemed like she'd broken through whatever had been holding him back and he was at least a little more receptive to her now. In her mind this was most definitely a good thing.

Now that he was a little calmer she could get an even better read on him. Focusing on her eyes she looked him over when he wasn't paying attention. What she saw made her avert her gaze, so she didn't make a fool of herself by staring too intently. The good captain's inner spirit was, in a word, breathtaking. If she had to compare it to something it would be like a sunrise on a planet untouched by civilization. A pure and beautiful thing. His entire being was awash with warm colors and it made her feel shy next to him.

Briefly she wondered if it would be rude to tell him his soul was beautiful... but she quickly quashed that thought. A tough soldier type like him probably wouldn't appreciate being called beautiful, even if it wasn't anything physical.

She thought back to the time spent on her home planetoid, learning from her people how to see the world 'properly.' Captain Rex was almost the complete opposite to her. Where he was embers she was frost. Her world was shades of blue and green, at least that's what she thought. The only downside that she could find for her inborn ability was the fact that she could not 'see' herself as she did others. The only real thing she could see of herself was a faint white shimmer and the golden threads of the bonds she shared with others. The largest of which had snapped and withered on the end, like a dying vine. One of these days she would have to sever her own side of the bond. But not today.

Focusing back on the Captain she remembered the words of her mother, the tribe's Shiihamaahn. _"No one is the same, my starlight. The shape, shade, depth,and consistency of the soul is different for each individual. There are all kinds of people out there and each one is unique. But sometimes you will meet one that is even more unusual than you're used to. Their colors are more vibrant, their presence vast. Those people, my little starlight, are the ones who can become your closest of companions or fiercest of enemies."_

"Hey." Coming out of her thoughts she blinked at the Captain and couldn't help the rush of warmth that colored her cheeks a faint pink. He felt annoyed. Apparently he'd been trying to get her attention for a few moments now.

"Sorry, Captain. I guess I'm more tired than I thought I'd be." He eyed her quietly for a moment before giving her a small, curt, nod.

"Well we're here." Now she was even more embarrassed. They'd stopped just outside her room in the medical bay. There were two soldiers standing guard on either side of the hall. Although Liera couldn't tell if they were here to make sure she didn't try to escape or if they were protecting her from some outside source.

"Thank you, Captain. I appreciate you taking time to show me around. Even if it was something Kenobi ordered you to do." He stared at her for a moment before he gave a half shrug.

"It didn't take up too much time. Thanks to you getting bored and all." A teasing grin crossed his face and she couldn't help but laugh in response.

"Have a good… whatever time it is now." He raised a brow at her and she shrugged. How was she supposed to know what time it was on an unfamiliar spaceship?

She watched him leave for a moment before going back into her room. She had no idea what would happen from now on and that made her nervous. Kenobi said she would be allowed to continue as a healer, which was a relief. These men were good people, even if some of them were a little rough around the edges. She wouldn't be able to fight with them, she wasn't strong enough for that. But she could heal their hurts and lend a sympathetic ear.

Laying in bed she looked over at the switch and flicked out the light with a nudge from the force. She was sure Master Kenobi would fuss about her using the force in such a blatantly 'disrespectful' manner. But Liera was sure that Master Paldrel would have found it amusing. Which was as good a reason as any to do it.

"Master, I don't think you need to worry about me. I'll be alright now. But… I do miss you. I'm sure you would have found the idea of a war like this to be as exciting as it is horrifying. I wish you were here... Good night, Master Paldrel." On the edge of consciousness, right before she drifted off to sleep, she could have sworn she heard someone say; _"good night, padawan mine."_


	5. The Healer and the Padawan

Striding with purpose down the corridors of the Resolute, Anakin felt a little conflicted. On one hand Obi-wan and Kix had finally agreed to let him meet the new force user. He could thank her for her help saving so many of his men. On the other hand he had to admit, at least to himself, that he was a little concerned she would react poorly to his presence again. Which caused a small knot of worry to twist in his guts. It didn't help that Kix was a medic and not a jedi so he still sounded unsure when he agreed with Obi-wan.

So far everything he'd heard about the woman from his troops painted a picture of a friendly, determined, selfless, and kind individual. Even Rex had come back from the tour with a contemplative look on his face as he reported that she'd shown little interest in the ship itself and more interest in the troops themselves. Which made it all the more strange that Obi-wan seemed to have an aversion to being around the new force user. Then again he supposed he should have expected it from Mr. Perfect Jedi. This new force user wasn't a jedi, according to him. She'd fled the order and no longer followed the Code.

Movement had him looking at the girl walking next to him. She was practically bouncing as they walked, a big smile on her face. Through the force he could feel her curiosity and excitement. It was so strong that the air practically vibrated around her. He couldn't help snickering.

"Calm down, Snips. You're going to set the air on fire." Her nose crinkled in indignation as she glared up at him. Honestly it was kind of adorable and he couldn't help chuckling.

"I'll try, master. No promises." She grumped, rolling her eyes expressively. Really he should be lecturing her on her behavior but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Ahsoka had been so listless after the battle, when the reports of losses had finally come in. But she always bounced back quickly.

Walking into the medical bay he greeted the medical assistants as he passed. The room their guest had been placed in hadn't changed so he already knew the way. No need to disrupt the hardworking medics just to have someone guide him. The closer they came to the room the more he tightened his personal shields, breathing deeply to keep them as close as possible. Ahsoka looked up at him and he just smiled to reassure her nothing was wrong.

Passing by one of the two guards that were always present in the hallway to their guest's room he gave the man a polite nod. In response the trooper saluted from where he stood. It was only when he stopped in front of the woman's door that the man finally spoke up, realizing that his intent was to speak with their guest.

"General, Sir." He looked back at the soldier, who was waiting to be acknowledged.

"Trooper." He replied, as amicably as possible.

"Sir. Are you looking for Miss Liera?" Miss? That was a new one to him. Even Ahsoka was called Commander. The clones were dead set on using rank and calling everyone sir, even if they were female. It was a little odd to hear from one of them.

"Yes, I wanted to speak with her and introduce her to the Commander." Ahsoka was giving him the side eye, she knew that he'd never actually met the new force user either. So he was using her as an excuse? The troops didn't need to know that.

"She's not in her room at present. I believe she's still in the intensive care ward." For a moment Anakin froze, worried that something had happened to her in the safety of his own ship. But the relaxed posture of the trooper and the feeling of ease in the force around him suggested nothing had happened to her. It didn't take him long to piece it together.

_'Obi-wan said the Council agreed to let her keep working as a Healer!'_ He felt a little foolish for assuming the worst. "I see, thank you Trooper…"

"CT-6248." Raising a brow at him Anakin watched him shift his weight slightly. "Clip, Sir." That was better. He really wasn't a fan of this whole numbers thing. It was degrading. It reminded him of growing up on Tatooine, where people were reduced to a number based on their 'worth.' Most days he tried very, _very_, hard not to think about that. Otherwise he'd have to admit that he felt like he was in the position of being the Master of thousands of people.

"Thank you, Clip." Seeing the faint smile and sensing his delight in the force loosened something in Anakin's chest. Even if he was in charge of these men he didn't have to _act_ like a slaver owner. Each one of them was under his protection now and he would work hard to keep as many of them alive as he could.

Out of the entire medical bay the intensive care ward had to be his least favourite place. Maybe even his least favourite place on the ship. He knew that this was where his men were being taken care of but the emotions swirling around the place felt like an open wound to him. Pain, loss, hopelessness, grief. Honestly he had no idea how the medics could be around so many of their brothers who they knew were probably going to die. Force, how could their guest do it, being so sensitive in the force? Even Ahsoka looked a little sick as they came closer.

"You stay out here while I go ask around." His expression softened when he looked down at his padawan. He didn't want to cause her any undue stress.

"I… okay Master." At first she gave him one of her stubborn looks and he readied himself to dig his heels in. But after a moment she relented, holding herself and looking at the ground. It must have distressed her more than he thought. Leaving her outside was a good choice.

Entering the ward he was spotted by one of the medical assistants immediately. The man made a beeline for him and gave him a salute when he stopped.

"Did you need something, General?" Anakin gave im a friendly, if sad, smile.

"I was wondering if I could speak with Healer Liera. But only if she's not busy." The man didn't seemed surprised by his request, nodding as he used his personal communicator to ask if anyone knew where the healer was. A string of numbers and medical jargon was the only response. Apparently the medical assistant understood as he looked back at Anakin.

"If you'll wait outside, General, someone will send her to you when she's finished with her current patient. She shouldn't take too long, Sir." Happy that he would be able to meet with his guest he left the ward without any fuss. He didn't really want to interrupt anyone anyway.

Leaving the ward he headed back to where Ahsoka was waiting, leaning against the wall. She tilted her head at him curiously, noticing he was alone.

"She was with a patient. They said they'd send her out in a couple of minutes." Ahsoka just shrugged and didn't seem intent on moving any time soon. She gave him a pointed look and he shook his head, amused.

"Why don't we go over…"

[Liera]

With Master Kenobi's blessing, and the Jedi Council's by proxy, Liera was allowed access to the entirety of the medical bay. Which included all of the supplies. She suspected that they were trying to catch her out, see if she would do something sinister. If that was their goal they were going to be sorely disappointed. The moment she was allowed to don a medical uniform, modified for her slight frame, she got to work doing what she knew best.

It was lucky for her that there hadn't been too many medical advancements that made all of her previous knowledge moot. Bacta was still widely used in the galaxy at large, thank the force. Some of her methods were a little outdated, which rankled, but she was quick to absorb any new techniques the medics would show her. They seemed surprised at how quickly she learned and she couldn't help laughing. She hadn't spent all her years as an initiate training to be a medical professional without learning a few force focusing techniques.

When she first showed up in her resized uniform that first day and started trying to assist she was met with confused looks and curious glances. She had to explain, more than once, that although she was a jedi, past tense, she was not and would not become one of their generals. With the almost reverent awe the soldiers seemed to have for anyone with force powers she wondered what kind of indoctrination they must have gone through, and why. It made her want to scowl just thinking about it but she kept her expression open and friendly. A friendly face went a long way when someone was recovering.

The awkward and stilted conversation of the wounded men slowly went away the more she interacted with them. Kind words and a few well timed jokes seemed to loosen them up finally. Honestly they were like every other soldier type she'd met in her years as a padawan. Honorable men who believed in what they fought for who had a dark sense of humour. Apparently hearing a jedi curse after stubbing her toe was enough to get some of them to open up and make comments of their own without prompting.

Liera spent nearly twenty hours just tending to the wounded. Checking wounds, replacing bandages, and ferrying supplies. It wasn't until one of the chief medical officers noticed that she was still working long after the shift had changed that she was finally kicked out. Explaining that she could use the force to stay up longer and not get tired did her no favors with Plasma, or Kix when he showed up to give her the look all medics learned to force argumentative patients to obey. As soldiers and medics their look was far more potent than she was used to. Wincing she quietly went back to her room and rested for the required amount of time, taking proper meals.

The next day was a little easier. Most of the men already recognized her and understood she was there to actually help, and that she actually knew what she was doing. It was then that she was introduced to the intensive care ward. The medical assistant sent to guide her, Racket, was watching her carefully as she stood outside the main door. She could sense all the hopelessness and pain but also the determination and will to hold on. She closed her eyes and let everything wash over her for a moment. She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. Centering herself she squared her shoulders before opening her eyes and walking right in as if she belonged.

At first they didn't seem to know why she was there. There was nothing that could really be done for these men, or so they thought. Walking up to the first bed she looked over the man's information even as Marrow continued to speak. "Third degree burns… over seventy percent of the body. Permanent nerve damage." Shaking her head sadly she stepped up to him and looked down into hazy brown eyes. He was being kept on strong painkillers, even though a lot of his nerves were damaged beyond the hope of repair. Bacta could only do so much after all. Placing one hand on his forehead and one on his bandaged chest she fell deep into meditation. She opened herself to the cosmic river that was the force and felt it flow through her as she encouraged the man's body to regenerate.

By the time she was finished the man was staring up at her in absolute shock. To them it must have seemed like a miracle. "How are you feeling?" He swallowed, breathed in, and let out a shuddering breath. "Fine. There's… there's no pain!" One of the medics muttered 'bullshit' and started to unwrap the bandages. They all stared at the faint scarring that was nowhere near the amount of damage the man had previously and she smiled.

"I know that not everyone believes in the force, and it can seem like something out of legends, but it is very real." After that no one questioned her when she chose the next patient to help.

Of course she wasn't a goddess, no matter what some of the men whispered to each other when they thought she couldn't hear them. There were some men who were just too far gone, even for all her power and knowledge. She could not regrow limbs or bring back someone's mind if they were too far gone. If there were replacement organs she could help with transplants and ensure there would be no infection. She would have said she could insure no rejection to new organs but as the men were clones, which still boggled the mind, there was apparently almost zero risk of it happening.

By the third day she was already a known and welcome sight in the medical bay. She greeted everyone whose name she remembered and asked the men how they were faring. Then she made her way to intensive care and started on her newest patients. She had to limit herself to five extreme cases a day or risk being so utterly exhausted she would be useless for anything else. If there was an emergency she would need energy in reserve so she could help.

"Miss?" Looking up from the man she was working on, Jump was his name, she raised her brow at the medical assistant.

"General Skywalker was here looking for you. Could you spare some time to speak with him when you're finished here?" This was her fourth patient of the day and she was nearly finished. She had to think about it for a moment, stretching out her senses until she touched upon his presence.

_'Oh Force, it's the living supernova!'_ Although she could sense his immense presence in the force it seemed to be well contained this time around. With her shields now in place she should be fine as long as he kept himself in check. Kenobi mentioned that the man had been working on his shields and that he wanted to thank her personally for saving his men. It would be discourteous of her to avoid him, especially since she was a guest on his ship, so she agreed to meet with him.

Finished her task she left Jump to his brothers and quickly cleaned herself up. Stepping out into the hall she spotted a tall blonde man and a young Togruta who was about the same height she was. Smiling she walked over to them.

"It's nice to finally meet you, General Skywalker. Or do you prefer Master Skywalker?" This seemed to surprise the man who blinked down at her with vivid blue eyes, shifting on his feet anxiously.

"Anakin, or Knight Skywalker. I'm not a master yet." That was certainly a surprise. But then she supposed that anyone who lost control of his emotions like he did couldn't be a Master.

"My apologies, you have a very strong force presence so I just assumed." She looked at the Togruta and smiled. "Is this your padawan?" The man nodded and motioned to the girl.

"Ahsoka Tano, my padawan learner." The girl grinned at her and she chuckled.

"Liera Buraaisuh, Healer. It's nice to meet you Ahsoka." Focusing on her spirit Liera was pleased to see so many warm and cheery colors. The girl had some greys, doubts and insecurities, but she had a lot of stubborn yellows too. Hers was a playful personality who cared about others deeply. Liera was fairly certain they would get along if given the chance.

[Ahsoka]

If she had to listen to her master talking about his precious ship anymore Ahsoka was pretty sure she would scream. How did they go from talking about lightsaber forms to this? Now she liked flying, it was fun, but when it came to the mechanical aspect her master could be downright obsessive. He was always tweaking this or that, calibrating the doohickey and adjusting the whatsits. She wanted to roll her eyes but that would just encourage him.

When the door down the hall finally opened she pushed herself off the wall to get a better look at the woman coming to see them. Ahsoka thought she'd seen most colors of human but she'd never seen one who was so pale before. Skyguy hadn't gotten a very good look at her last time either, apparently, as she could feel his surprise through their growing bond.

The woman was shorter than her, much to her delight, but she was probably about Anakin's age. If she had to describe her she'd probably say she was beautiful, but kind of hard to look at. Rex had been right, she did look like someone had sucked all the color out of her. It made her eyes all the more interesting.

Her voice was soft and almost airy as she asked Skyguy if he preferred to be called General or Master. His reaction was kind of funny and she had to stifle a giggle. Then their focus was on her and she stood a little straighter.

"It's nice to meet you too." Okay, the glowing eyes was a little unsettling but also kind of pretty in a haunting way.

"I wanted to thank you personally after everything you did for my men. And, uh, apologize for what happened when you woke up." Ahsoka looked between her master and the healer, curious. Whatever he was talking about was something he hadn't mentioned before. She narrowed her eyes at him and he tried very hard not to look at her.

"It's alright, I know you didn't do it on purpose. My sensitivity is unusually high, even for someone of my species. You couldn't have known." Anakin relaxed and smiled, relief echoing down their bond. Whatever he'd done he hadn't meant to but had felt guilty about. Now Ahsoka wanted to know even more.

"As for your thanks, I appreciate it. But I hope you understand that you don't need to thank me. My duty as a healer is to help every soul I see in front of me." She sounded so dedicated, it was kind of nice.

"So, Ahsoka, what lightsaber forms do you practice?" Now this was a conversation she could get into!

"Mostly Shien and some Ataru, Master." There was a slightly strained look on the woman's face for a moment.

"Liera, please. Or Healer Buraaisuh." That was weird. Even Skyguy seemed a little uneasy.

"I'm not even a knight." The woman admitted easily.

"But, you can Force Heal?" She nodded slowly.

"I can, I went through an accelerated program as an initiate and spent my time as a padawan as a battlefield medic." A slight smirk crossed her face, although there was some sadness in her voice. "My master had a habit of getting wounded at least once on every mission. I've had a lot of experience healing in some of the most stressful situations. But I'm afraid my other abilities are sorely lacking." Liera looked up at Anakin and watched him for a moment, as if trying to judge whether or not she should say something.

"I was wondering if you would return my lightsabers to me. I know that you and Kenobi might be wary of me but I can promise you that I will not harm anyone." Wait, lightsabers… plural?

"You study Jar'Kai?" The woman smiled.

"I do. It works well with my mixed style of Ataru and Soresu." Ahsoka frowned.

"That sounds like Master Kenobi's style." Liera's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I wonder if we use them differently, then. Is he someone who fights on the front lines a lot?" Ahsoka nodded.

"I see. I'm the opposite. I use the forms defensively. Both to protect myself and my patients from harm. I try to avoid fighting if I can." That made sense, she guessed, for a healer anyway.

"Maybe when I get my lightsabers returned we can spar together, padawan Tano. I can show you some Jar'Kai." Ahsoka grinned.

"That sounds great!" Anakin sighed and gave her a look.

"I'll see about having your lightsabers returned. As long as you don't cause any trouble." That seemed good enough for Liera.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but I need to go back to my patients. You'll know where to find me if we need to talk?" Skyguy just nodded.

"Then have a good…" She sighed. "I never do know what time it is on a starship. Take care." Ahsoka snickered at the disgruntled look on her face. The woman gave them a polite nod, not quite a bow, and went back inside the intensive care ward.

"She seems really nice, Master." She felt amusement and agreement over their bond.

"She does." He agreed. "Come on, Snips. We have to get back to work. I have reports to write and you have meditation." She grumbled but didn't argue.

Hopefully the healer would be allowed her lightsabers back. Then maybe she'd be able to help convince Skyguy to let her dual wield.


	6. Light and Shadow

Walking into what may have been a reception area, if it had been on a planet and not a military vessel, Liera looked around but found herself alone. It was fairly late, according to the people she'd spoken to, so she suspected she would be one of the few awake and wandering about. Oh how wrong she was. She should have known better, it was a military vessel in the middle of a war. Of course there would be just as many soldiers on duty at 'night' as there would be during the 'day.' Force she missed being on a planet with a regular solar cycle.

Entering the locker room she waved to a group of men who were chatting, either before or after their work-out she wasn't sure. They all stopped and stared at her, like timid animals being spotted by a predator. Rolling her eyes she ignored the staring and took one of the few single changing rooms. It was a good thing they had the single changing rooms, otherwise she would have had to change with the men. While she was absolutely _certain_ of their integrity and honor she thought it best not to invite trouble. Changing into a simple set of slacks and an undershirt, which she tucked in, she gathered up her discarded clothes, folded them, and found a locker.

Heading to the unarmed combat section of the training deck, which also held the two rooms where the Generals practiced lightsaber combat, she found a section of floor for herself to stretch. She started light, simple stretches that loosened up her muscles and joints. When she felt sufficiently limber she shucked off her shoes and started to stretch for real. Arching her back she planted her hands on the floor and brought her legs up until she was completely vertical. Slowly, letting the muscles strain with the effort, she opened her legs in a split. Leaning to one side she touched the floor with the toes of one foot before switching to the other. Bringing her legs back up she bent in half at the waist before springing back to her feet using the momentum. It had been a while since she'd been properly active and not just running away because she was scared.

She may not have been as strong as her master, or as skilled in swordsmanship, but she had always been far more flexible than he was. It's what made her Ataru and Soresu style work for her. Bending forward she placed her hands flat on the floor to stretch her back and legs. Standing back up she rolled her shoulders. Now that she was warmed up and her muscles were loosened she could actually start going through her katas.

It wasn't easy to go through the forms without her lightsabers. She missed their comforting weight in her hands. Closing her eyes she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Falling into a meditative state she let the force fill her, guiding her motions. Everything fell quiet around her as she flowed from one motion to the other, content to just let herself be.

Blinking as she came out of her meditation she realized that she'd run through the katas of both forms from start to finish, twice. Wiping her face on her sleeve she grimaced at how much she was sweating and how heavy her breathing sounded in her ears. It annoyed her how out of shape she was. If Master Paldrel knew she'd been skipping out on practice he would have made her run until she collapsed. On the run or not he expected more out of her. She couldn't help feeling like she'd failed him somehow.

Wondering if she should push herself just a little more she looked around and finally noticed all the stares. Some of the pairs who had been practicing hand to hand combat had stopped to openly gawk at her. She frowned.

"Is something the matter?" She asked them. Hearing her speak must have jostled them out of whatever trance they'd fallen into. Most of them just went back to their practice, giving off feelings of embarrassment and confusion. One of the soldiers nearby hesitated for a moment but finally approached her.

"What kind of martial art was that?"

"It wasn't a martial art. It was lightsaber kata." Reaching up she pulled her hair out of the hightail, slipping the tie over her wrist. Hand combing her hair she gathered it again and retied her hair, since it had come loose during her meditation.

"Specifically Form III, Soresu, and Form IV, Ataru. I've heard that K- General Kenobi practices them as well." The man's brows came together in thought.

"I didn't recognize any of the movements." From the way he spoke the man must have seen Kenobi up close quite a bit.

"I practice Jar'Kai and use the forms defensively." At his blank and expectant look she couldn't help but smile. "Jar'Kai is the art of wielding two lightsabers simultaneously. Most often a full length blade and a shorter blade in the offhand. Soresu is a defensive lightsaber form, meant to counter blaster fire and fight against multiple opponents. Ataru is an agressive and offensive lightsaber form. Characterized by it's highly maneuverable acrobatics. I'm sure you've seen General Kenobi flipping through the air during combat?" He gave her a quiet nod. "Instead of using it to corner an enemy and attack from unpredictable angles I use it to cross the battlefield as quickly and in as little time as possible." The man's eyes showed a sudden understanding.

"Like free-running. We're trained how to move over and around obstacles without losing momentum."

"Exactly! I don't have the strength to utilize Ataru as it's intended. So I've adapted it to my own use." Her master had never been particularly good at Ataru, preferring to keep his feet on the ground as much as possible, but he had encouraged her to train in the forms that felt most comfortable to her.

"Physical strength or…?" She was starting to like this man.

"I don't have a lot of physical strength, which Ataru does need. But I also don't have the strength in the force. Not if I want to save as many people as possible. A force sensitive is a conduit for the force, true, but we have our limits." The man contemplated her words quietly for a moment, which gave her the time to realize something she'd missed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. Although I'm sure you've heard of me by now. I'm Healer Liera." She held out her hand to him.

"Commander Cody, under General Kenobi." Taking her offered hand he shook it firmly.

"A pleasure, Commander." He smiled and it made he harsher lines of his face soften, highlighting his intelligent eyes.

"The pleasure's mine, Miss." He turned back to the room and watched the men, she could sense he was calculating what to do next.

Curious she focused on his inner spirit. A small smile crossed her face at what she saw there. Fierce loyalty, down to earth, steadfast, inquisitive, caring, and dutiful, with a sharp mind tying it all together. If Captain Rex was a sunset then Commander Cody was twilight. He was bathed in dark blues and purples. Much like the Captain his spirit seemed to be more. More disciplined, more vast, and more vibrant. It took her a moment to figure out why this felt so familiar but when it finally clicked she lost her concentration in surprise.

_'Captain Rex and Commander Cody… they're both Force Sensitive!'_ She assumed the reason she couldn't tell before was because they were so disciplined. Someone had trained them to hide in plain sight, even against other force sensitives. The only reason she knew was because of her species' unique traits.

Now the question was, what did she do about with this knowledge?

_'Nothing. It's not my business. If they want to keep their abilities hidden for one reason or another then I won't be the one to out them.'_ With that decision made she figured she should do some cool down stretches and go have a shower before she returned to her room.

Looking at the corner nearest to her she felt a mischievous smile creep across her face. She could skip the stretches, she had a better idea. Focusing the force into her limbs she bolted toward the wall. She heard someone yelp something behind her but ignored it as she planted her feet on the wall and leapt. With her arms close to her body she spun mid-air before planting her feet against the other wall. Pushing herself off of it she leapt forward and flipped before her feet touched the ground. Tucking her body she rolled with the momentum and hopped back to her feet next to her shoes. With a self satisfied smirk she looked back at the corner. It had been a long time since she'd done anything for the fun of it. Just because Ataru was a combat form didn't mean it wasn't endlessly entertaining. It had certainly helped them when she had gone undercover as an acrobat to route out that one slavery ring.

Someone whistled, loud in the near silent room, and she looked back to see the men glaring at one of their brothers, who shrugged sheepishly but didn't seem to regret it. She laughed, gripping her middle at the gobsmacked looks on some of their faces.

"Is that what it takes to impress you lot? Some fancy moves?" She teased playfully. Sure she'd gotten some good air, thanks to being assisted by the force, but that didn't mean one of them couldn't do something similar. Normal humans had the capacity if they were well disciplined in certain martial arts.

"I wouldn't mind you teaching me some fancy moves." Someone muttered before they were elbowed hard by their brother.

"Sure." The men froze, odd looks on their faces. "But you'll never be able to leap as high as I did if you don't have the Force to assist you." She said, shaking her head. "It's all about momentum and kinetic force." There was a blank look crossing more than one man's face and she frowned in confusion. The Commander had said they all learned free-running, surely they already knew this?

"Ah, it's okay, Gen- Miss. Froth was just joking." She was a little disappointed. They'd all frozen up, becoming as unreadable as glass. They were obviously uncomfortable now, though she was unsure why.

In response she put on one of her mot friendly smiles. "Oh, then forgive me for prattling on." Reaching down she picked up her discarded shoes. "I think I'll go ahead and retire. You gentlemen have a good night." Giving them a polite nod she left the training hall feeling a little lonely. She thought they'd been getting along, what happened so suddenly?

After a quick shower and change she headed back to the medical bay. After two weeks of working as a Healer most of the men had been released, leaving a lot of time for herself. It had been kind of Skywalker to assign her a Medical Officer's quarters so that she could stay in the medical bay. Kenobi's suggestion that she be placed in officer's quarters elsewhere had made her cringe. It was like he was trying to get the men to mistake her for another General, or Commander she supposed since she'd never passed her knight trials.

Changing into her night clothes she slipped into the simple bed, turning off the light with a little push of the force. "Good night, Master." On the edge of sleep, just like the nights before, she thought she could hear her Master respond. She knew it was just her imagination, her grief playing tricks on her. But this time something was… off. There was something chilling about the words.

_'Good night, my precious star.'_

[Rex]

Back on board the Resolute after the mess on Naboo he walked into medical, intent on finding their Healer. There had been a few close calls in that secret lab and he couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine when he thought of what could have happened. If they hadn't stopped the crazy doctor... Luckily no one had been hurt too badly. A couple of bruises and brothers who had been stunned or knocked unconscious. Nothing fatal, thank the stars.

"Sir." A nearby medical assistant saluted as he spotted him.

"At ease." The man relaxed minutely. "I'm looking for Healer Liera." The assistant looked at him for a moment, his lips pressing together as he tried not to scowl.

"This way, Sir." Rex frowned but followed.

"What was that?" He let a little of his annoyance enter his voice, the man stiffened.

"Apologies, Sir. You're not the first person who's asked after the Healer today." Rex blinked, his anger giving way to curiosity.

"Has there been a problem?" Now he looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Not… really, Sir. Some of the brothers just like talking to her." Rex felt the annoyance come back, stronger than before.

"They come to medical just to talk?" The assistant winced.

"Yes, Sir. The thing is…" He went quiet, as if unsure whether or not he should voice his thoughts. Rex waved him to continue. "She seems to encourage it, Sir. I've yet to see her turn anyone away unless she's in the middle of something." Rex had no clue what to do with that information.

"Are they being disruptive?" The man thought about it for a moment but shook his head.

"No, Sir." Well, as long as they weren't being disruptive the men were allowed to do as they liked during their free time. But he could talk to Liera about what was going on at least.

The assistant stopped. "There she is, Sir." Rex followed his gaze and found the Healer sitting in what looked like a small office, alone. She sat at the desk quietly reading a datapad.

"Dismissed." The man gave him another salute and went on his way.

Walking up to the entryway into the room he knocked on the wall to alert the woman of his presence. Looking up from the datapad she smiled and set it down.

"Captain Rex, nice to see you." She looked at him for a moment then something in her expression changed. "Please come in, and close the door behind you." Coming inside he did as she asked. From the desk she hit a button and the blinds on the window closed, obscuring them from view. Rex faltered slightly, wondering if that wasn't somehow inappropriate.

"Have a seat. I can tell you have something on your mind." That damned sixth sense! He wanted to grumble about it but sat down instead.

"I have a question." Staring into his eyes she sat back and nodded, listening quietly.

"Can you heal diseases?" Her eyebrows rose in surprise even as her head cocked slightly to the side and her eyes seemed to roam over him for a moment.

"I'm going to assume you mean in general and aren't afflicted with anything." She said finally. Rex gave her a serious look and she sighed. "It would depend on the type of disease and how fast it progresses. I can purge toxins from the body and I can repair damage done by a disease, yes. Unless it has progressed too far. There is a limit to what I can do, no matter how miraculous it looks from the outside." He nodded. "Was there any particular reason?"

Rex wondered if he should talk about the incident... it wasn't classified so he figured it would be safe. "We encountered a doctor on the planet below. He'd revived a deadly virus that had been eradicated a few generations back and planned to let it loose on the galaxy once more." He could see the horror on her face and wondered if he shouldn't have kept it to himself.

"Was anyone exposed to it?" Rex frowned.

"Some of the locals were infected. It has a one-hundred percent infection and fatality rate, with no known cure." At least that's what the Senator had said about it.

There was a look that came over the healer that made him pause. At first he couldn't place it. Then she slowly stood up and made her way to the door of the office. She practically punched the door control to open it and he was up on his feet the moment she stormed out of the room. Finally it clicked and he realized that she was _pissed_.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked as he caught up to her. She had shorter legs, it wasn't that hard.

"To speak with Skywalker or Kenobi." There was a tightness in her voice that hinted at the anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "I want to know why no one informed me." Rex reached out to grab her arm and stop her. He tried to be gentle but she was determined to keep walking, so he had to use a little more force.

"Whoa, hold on." She turned to glare up at him, her eyes bright with rage.

"No." He was taken aback for a moment at the sheer force in her voice. "I spent my entire life learning to help people. My padawan years weren't just spent on battlefields, Captain. They were spent on worlds ravaged by plague. I am uniquely qualified to help the sick." In that moment she was filled with fire. It wasn't a fleeting thing, embers that could easily be smothered. It was a barely contained inferno made up of stubborn determination and a need to do something.

"Okay." Carefully he let her go, much to her surprise.

"That's it? Just okay?" He nodded.

"I'll escort you to the Generals so you can make your case. I'm sure Senator Amidala would appreciate any help you can give." While the fire was still there behind her eyes she slowly smiled at him.

"Thank you." She started walking and Rex joined her.

Looking down at Liera he couldn't help but acknowledge the growing respect he felt for the newest member of the 501st.


	7. Time Heals

Walking up to the door he reached out, intending to knock, but found himself hesitating. The last few days had been a study in aggravation and he had no intentions of seeking out an argument at this stage.

He'd thought their mission was over when they'd stopped the Separatist doctor from releasing the airborne Blue Shadow virus, apparently he was wrong. Liera had come storming onto the bridge with Captain Rex in tow looking downright mutinous. She'd walked right up to them and demanded to know why no one told their resident force healer about the viral outbreak on the planet below. Anakin had asked her why it was so important she know about it and the look she gave him was one he was not sure to forget any time soon.

"If anyone is infected I can purge them of the disease. I've been trained in preventative measures and bio-hazard clean-up procedures. Has anyone thought about what releasing a disease like this is going to do to the local flora and fauna? If it was released into water it can destroy entire ecosystems a planet needs to continue thriving." She'd fumed about it for almost ten whole minutes, lecturing them on the associated dangers. The bridge crew had been completely silent, including Commander Cody. Obi-wan had tried to interrupt her once, and only once, before deciding it was best to wait out her anger.

Things came to a head when Anakin tentatively asked her if she wanted him to contact Padme so she could talk over the procedures with her. Since she was the Senator of the planet and knew the Queen. Then Liera met Padme and the two of them took the planet by storm. Anakin was more than happy to go along, with Captain Rex, Ahsoka, and Artoo on his heels. It wasn't long until the entire 501st had been co-opted to help.

They spent four days on the planet leading the relief efforts. In the end they were commended by the Queen herself on their dedication to the Republic. It was odd seeing the normally strong headed young woman doing her best to hide behind everyone else and not accept any thanks. It made Obi-wan realize just how young she truly was. Like him she had lost her master before her eyes in a violent altercation. Unlike him she had felt betrayed by people she trusted and did the only thing she could think of to save herself; run away. Yet when she'd appeared she had taken one look at the wounded and all thoughts of saving herself were tossed to the wind.

Obi-wan thinks he may have judged her a little harshly that first meeting.

Knocking on the door he waited until he heard her call for him to enter before going inside. When he didn't find her in the main area he peeked into the small area where her bed was kept and found her laying down with an arm over her eyes. She was wearing simple slacks and an over-tunic. Her hair was a little darker, like it was damp. He cleared his throat politely.

"Hello Kenobi." He bristled at the lack of a title but took a moment to calm himself. Her voice was non-confrontational but sounded a little strained.

"Good evening." He stood there in the doorway for a moment, debating what to say. A small chuckle came from her before she moved her arm away from her face and sat up.

"Is this better? I can feel your discomfort from here." She motioned over to a chair and waited.

"Ah, no. I won't be staying long." Silence fell between them and he could not have felt more conflicted. Finally he pulled out the two weapons and held them out to her. "I believe these belong to you?" A bright smile crossed her face and she was up on her feet in the next moment. She held the lightsabers in her hands and closed her eyes. Obi-wan frowned until he felt the resonance between her and the crystals and a look of awe crossed his face.

"They're…" Liera smiled as she held the lightsabers to her.

"Purified Mephite crystals. Master Paldrel insisted I settle for only the best once I became his padawan. I think he hoped that Adegan crystals would level the playing field if I ever came up against a real threat." The way she spoke of her master and held the weapons close to her as if they were a precious friend made Obi-wan realize just how alone she must be. If he had been plucked from his home and spat out somewhere unfamiliar after the death of Qui-gon, he would cling to anything that connected him to his home too. It was then he realized why she refused to call him master.

"Don't." She said, pulling him from his thoughts.

"I beg your pardon?" She sighed and her eyes began to give off a faint light.

"I can feel your guilt. Don't do that to yourself." A shiver went down his spine.

"If you really can see someone's spirit… what do you see when you look at me?" The moment he asked he knew he wanted to take it back. There was an expression on her face. A reflection of pain.

"You are primarily orange, someone driven by determination. Your core is made up of a dark pink, an intense need to feel loved. To be wanted. I can see the deep chasms of grief that bleed sorrow, a grief and pain you don't think will ever stop. Sometimes you may not even want it to stop, because you blame yourself. I can see the golden threads of bonds you share, like flowering vines. They are bonds of strong attachment. Love for your brother, for your friends, for the men who serve with you, and… someone else." All the breath had left his lungs and it felt as if someone had punched him directly in the solar plexus. "I see a spirit full of resolve, willing to sacrifice their own happiness for the happiness of others… it's lonely." It felt like he couldn't breathe, his body was frozen in place. Her words were sharp, though she spoke softly, and left him feeling raw, exposed.

Gentle hands guided him down to the bed where he sagged forward, trying to get his bearings. Liera vanished into the other room but returned quickly with a cup of water and a belt around her waist, lightsabers proudly displayed. She forced him to drink, though he nearly choked, and sat quietly beside him until he was feeling more calm. Anakin was sending panicked questions over their bond and he was certain he would have a headache soon.

"May I?" Lira asked, holding up a hand. Obi-wan wasn't certain what she was going to do but nodded nonetheless. She pressed her fingers to his temple and a warmth swept through him, chasing the chill away. When she pulled her hand away again he felt more settled and was able to let Anakin know he was fine.

"I'm sorry, I may have pushed a little too hard." He wasn't certain what she was referring to but the apology was appreciated.

"Can you see that deeply into everyone?" He asked when the silence grew too loud.

"Almost. If Anakin really wanted, and tried, he could shut me out. Or, conversely, he could project further and blind me instead." Obi-wan nodded in understanding. "Of course this isn't an exact science." She stared forward. "Every sentient of my species sees and interprets the spirit differently. While I might associate greens with nurturing, caring, and healing, another might associate them with strength, integrity, and steadfastness. My perceptive nature seems less to do with my species and more to do with the classes I took as an initiate. When you're learning to be a mind healer you are taught to notice the smallest details and come to logical conclusions based on the psychology associated with sentient species. Add to that the control needed to become a true force healer as well as the training in the force all jedi receive in the Temple, and you can see where all of this has led me." The explanation actually made sense, when she put it that way.

"So when you see a 'spirit' it's more like an advanced force empathy." Liera smiled.

"I heard some masters refer to it that way when I was still an initiate. What I 'see' has less to do with my eyes and more to do with how my mind interprets the vibrations in the force around me. I think one of the Healers once called it a force sensitive's version of Synethesia." She chuckled. "To be honest my eyes are actually fairly weak. Especially to bright lights. My home planetoid is almost constantly bathed in an eternal twilight. The plants, animals, and even my people, are all bio-luminescent. If I hadn't grown up on Coruscant I would be hard pressed to live on this ship with its constant bright lights. The only upside is that I can see in near pitch darkness as if it were a mild inconvenience and the spectrum of colors I can see is wider than most humanoids." Sitting there listening to her simple and open explanations he was beginning to see a maturity in her that he had not before.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked quietly when the silence dragged on a little too long.

"I feel…" Raw, exposed, compromised, and yet… somehow a little lighter than before. She could so clearly see his flaws, the deep emotions he just could not seem to bury deep enough or give over to the force. Yet she wasn't acting any differently than before.

"Obi-wan." He blinked at her in surprise. It was the first time she had used his name. "Having emotions is not the same as having a weakness. All sentients have emotions. They are a bio-chemical response to stimuli, whether internal or external. Feeling is not the same as giving in to temptation. It's only when we let those emotions control us, when we give ourselves over to them wholly and selfishly, that imbalances happen. Pushing them away and never confronting them, never dealing with them in a healthy manner, is what creates the cracks in someone that the darkness can latch onto. It causes insecurity, guilt, and fear. That is what leads to a Fall." For the second time in a long time words failed him. What she said sounded so heretical he knew he should have dismissed them entirely. But they felt so right. Around them the force felt light, filled with a warmth he had never experienced before.

"I feel… hopeless." Like some sort of jedi min technique had taken hold of him the words spewed from his mouth, feeling harsh on his tongue. "Hopeless, helpless, angry! This war seems so pointless! What we might gain doesn't even begin to compare to what we've lost! We've lost men, good men! Irreplaceable individuals who never had a choice but to fight. If my master could see what has been happening with the Council and the Senate he might have left the Order, just like Master Dooku…" A hand on his wrist had him looking down and he realized he'd jumped up from the bed to pace, hands clenched tight enough that his knuckles were going white.

"Exhale all the air in your lungs." Obi-wan looked at her quizzically but her serene look calmed him somewhat. He breathed out and she nodded. "I want you to breathe in through your nose for four seconds. Hold your breath for seven seconds." He did so. "Now when you exhale I want you to purse your lips and force the air through them for eight seconds, like this." She demonstrated the technique and he copied her. She smiled at him gently, looking genuinely pleased. "Good. Again." She made him repeat the process three more times before she stopped him. "Excellent. Do you feel more calm now?" Oddly enough he did.

"Whenever you begin to feel stressed I want you to go somewhere quiet and repeat that up to four times. If you need a little longer than that make sure you breathe normally between each set." She spoke as if she knew he would obey her and he raised a brow. She laughed.

"Please indulge me. I promise you it will help." The force sang with her sincerity and he couldn't help smiling back.

"Well, if you're asking so nicely I'm certain I can at least give it a try." A small smirk quirked her lip upward on one side.

"That's all I ask." She looked into his eyes and he felt as if she were searching for something. "I want you to come talk to me again whenever you have a chance." She stood, still keeping eye contact. "I promise that you will find no judgment here. Everything that's on your mind, anything that's troubling you, I want you to know that you can talk to me about it."

It was only after giving her a polite nod of ascent and being escorted out of her quarters that Obi-wan finally realized what she had been doing. Had she not told him multiple times that she was a certified mind healer? She had lured him into a state of calm he had not felt for months with softly spoken words and an aura of serenity that even some seasoned masters would be hard pressed to exude. He should have been annoyed that he had been so easily played but when he sat down to meditate in his own quarters he found himself more centered than before. If she had been trying to addle or manipulate him she was either doing a very poor job or she was a master of subterfuge the likes of which he had never seen before. Somehow he could not bring himself to believe the latter.

When he was finished his meditation he came to a final conclusion. What she was, was a Healer. And Obi-wan would never doubt her dedication to helping others again.

[Liera]

_Smoke filled the air and a series of dry coughs ripped it's way through her chest. She couldn't see or hear, the flash of light and thunderous noise had temporarily blinded and deafened her. She crawled along the floor, trying to as close to the ground as possible to avoid the smoke. Reaching out with the force she felt the debris in front of her and desperately threw out her hand to try and move it out of her way. The heavy beams and collapsed floor were too heavy to lift and another coughing fit had her curling in on herself in pain._

_"Liera!" That voice! She tried to call out, to answer, but her throat was so dry all she was able to produce was a horrible raspy croak. Everything was going hazy and it was hard to think. She knew she was falling unconscious, even as the room burned around her. There was a violent shudder then hands were reaching beneath her arms and pulling her to safety. With clean air to fill her lungs she slowly came back from the brink. Reaching up with her hand she healed the damage to her ears and eyes before curling into the protective presence that was her master._

_"Mas-" She tried to speak and was quickly hushed._

_"No, my starlight. Just rest. I'm right here." Resting her head on his shoulder she slowly relaxed as they walked away from what was left of the small clinic she had been working out of for a month. Closing her eyes she let sleep take her and knew no more._

_When she woke it was to the familiar sensation of a hand stroking her hair. A smile crossed her face as she opened her eyes and looked up into the hazel eyes of her master. A look of relief crossed his face before the hand hesitantly drew back. Slowly she sat up, focusing on her body and any damage she sustained in the explosion. There were a few lesser burns from when debris had fallen onto her leg and some bruising but those were an easy fix. She looked over to her master as he poked at the fire. It took her a moment to recognize the room they were in but once she did she couldn't help be confused._

_"Master, isn't this the home of the local warlord?" He must have sensed her trepidation because he was quick to reassure her._

_"It was the home of the local warlord. He won't be a problem." Holding out a bowl of soup to her he gave her one of his usual grins that spoke of a dangerous gambit that shouldn't have worked but did. Taking the bowl she sighed at him in exasperation. Knowing him he had been so busy taking care of her that he ignored his own wounds. Setting the bowl down she got up and sat next to him, giving him a look._

_"Now padawan, I-" The look turned into a scowl and he relented. Loosening his tabbard he slipped out of the multiple layers of tunics. Looking him over she was glad to see that the injuries were minor. Minor enough that he argued against her using force healing._

_"Master, my pack was in the clinic with me. Unless you saved it from the fire I don't have any medical supplies on me. Force healing will have to do." Placing a hand on his chest and his forehead she closed her eyes and focused. Most of the wounds were superficial so it only took a couple of moments. When she was done she opened her eyes and smiled. Pulling her hands away she was a little startled when he grabbed her wrist and held it gently._

_"Liera-"_

Waking to the sound of someone knocking on the door to her quarters she stumbled out of bed and grabbed her belt from where it sat on the small night table. Slipping on her shoes she rushed to the door to open it, worried that there might be some kind of emergency. Chief Medical Officer Marrow stood outside the door with Kix. Both looked a cross between disgruntled and unnerved. "Healer Liera, we need you to come explain something to us." She waved them away from the door and entered the hall.

"After you." Without further ado the three of them went to a nearby meeting room to sit down. "So, what is this about?" She looked between the two men, curious and concerned. Kix was the first to speak.

"Over the past week I've had reports of the men losing their appetites. But whenever I checked them over I found nothing wrong, they were all perfectly healthy." Marrow continued from where Kix stopped, handing her a datapad.

"Kix brought the matter to me and we decided to do a more thorough investigation. It turns out that their metabolism has slowed significantly. When I looked over the records they only had one thing in common." The pointed look he gave her was really not needed. They wouldn't have asked her here if it had nothing to do with her. She looked over the data and paused, confused.

"This is all within normal parameters for a male human. Yet you're saying this is 'slow' for them?" The two men glanced at each other then back at her.

"No one explained the accelerated aging in clones to you, did they?" She paused and a look of understanding crossed her face before one of anger replaced it.

"You mean that it's not a degenerative disorder that your progenitor passed on to you?" The two men looked confused.

"Jango Fett had no such health issue." This thought just made her even more upset.

"I thought it was an illness and have been treating it in everyone I can get my hands on. Are you telling me it's on purpose?" Marrow's mouth fell open slightly and Kix's eyes went wide.

"You can… _stop_ the accelerated aging?" Liera nodded, trying to rein in her temper.

"To my senses it reads as a degenerative genetic disorder. I thought that it was either from your progenitor or was a side effect of the cloning process. So I've been healing it alongside other injuries." Marrow let out a low curse and Kix was looking at her as if he'd never seen her before.

"They don't treat you as people do they…" She finally asked. Both men looked quite uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Do you want me to do the same for you both?" The question was spoken in a gentle voice but it might as well have been a shout with how quiet the room had become. It was Kix who spoke up first.

"Yes." Simple and direct. Getting up she placed her hand on his chest and on his forehead and let the force work through her. It barely took a moment. Kix looked up at her in surprise.

"That… that's it?" She nodded and looked to Marrow. He nodded and she repeated the procedure.

"Chief Marrow, I want to set up a schedule where I can see every single man on this ship for a quick 'check-up,' is that acceptable to you?" The man snorted at the term she used but didn't object.

"I'll have it set up by your next shift. We'll start with all available officers and work our way down." It bothered her that they would use rank to determine who she would be seeing first but she supposed it made sense. Even if they were medics they were also soldiers and the chain of command was important to them.

"During the times where some of them are unavailable I'll see to the medical staff."

The final details were decided on quickly and she was back at her quarters not twenty minutes later. Looking around she sighed, knowing she wouldn't be getting back to sleep any time soon. Brushing her hands over the hilts of her lightsabers she smiled. She knew just how to pass the time.


	8. Interlude 1

When he returned to the operational house,_ jet'ika_ on his heels and bags of snacks hanging off his arms, he wasn't expecting there to be a guest waiting for him. Stopping in the doorway in surprise he felt the girl bump into his back, making a surprised noise before she stepped back. Qibbu's place wasn't even supposed to be open at the moment so how he'd gotten in… it had to have been his boys who let him in. The young man at the counter turned, Two different colored eyes sparkling with mirth as a mischievous grin crossed his face. Frowning Kal walked through the door, letting Etain and Ordo inside. The moment his son recognized the man at the counter a matching grin crossed his face.

"_Ba'vodu,_ haven't seen you in a while." The man raised his glass of liquor and downed the last of it before he stood. He heard Etain gasp when she finally noticed the lightsaber at his hip but the three of them ignored her.

"Hey Ord'ika, Old man. Heard you were on the planet so I thought I'd drop by." The jab at his age made Kal scowl, especially considering its source.

"Very funny, coming from someone thirty _shabla_ years my senior." Etain looked between them, her expression somewhere between distressed and confused.

"Etain, this is Haati Kurshi'cin. Don't worry about him." Haati may play the fool at times, hiding behind his young face, but he'd seen just as much shit Kal had in his life. They were both _Cuy'val Dar_ and had similar views on the clones. Namely that they deserved to be treated as people, to be more than just wet droids whose lives were not their own. He was an ally, one that Kal trusted to do right by his boys.

"A pleasure to meet you, _Jetii_ Etain." He gave a slight bow which the girl quickly emulated before she straightened, even more confused than before. It was no wonder. Haati was wearing his _beskar'gam_, including the _kama_, minus the helmet. Why he was kitted out Kal didn't know.

"Come on up. We'll talk." They couldn't stay down in the bar, not if they wanted to talk about the op. Haati nodded, his eyes sharp with understanding. A wide grin crossed his face again.

"Excellent!" Picking up the duffel bag that had been at his feet he slung it over one shoulder and motioned that he'd follow Kal up the stairs.

Opening the door to the room they were met with an array of guns trained on them, ready and willing to kill. Kal felt a swelling of pride in his boys as he let the others in behind him. "Been shopping." He said cheerfully before he dumped the two bags of snack foods on the table. "Go on. Fill yer boots." Omega dug in but the Delta boys stayed back for a moment before they seemed to realize what he'd meant.

"Wow, you've all grown big!" The moment their guest spoke everyone's attention shifted to him immediately. Haati had done that… thing, where he made it so no one could see or feel him. It was downright unsettling. Not that the boys seemed to mind.

"_Ba'vodu!_ No one said you'd be dropping in on this op. Did the Force tell you we'd need an extra hand?" Fi said with a playful grin. Haati laughed and fell into a nearby chair, lounging.

"Actually, yes. That and I was out on a hunt. I have some information for your _buir._" That certainly caught his attention.

"We'll talk later." The man nodded before reaching over and stealing an icy snack from the table.

"We have a drop location. And a few thousand or so clone troopers on leave for a few weeks thanks to our totally unexpected friend Mar Rugeyan." Fi mumbled appreciatively about the topping on his treat before he raised his voice.

"That was very helpful of him." Kal smiled, trust Fi to state the obvious. The boy tried so hard to project a cheerfulness he wasn't actually feeling, it was heart wrenching.

"So, do we get to drop them, or do we have to do the boring thing and let them stroll off?" Boss asked, sounding eager. Niner gave him a funny look but didn't speak up. They might both be Commandos but they had wildly different ways of tackling a problem.

"This is a tracking job, right?"

"Vau made you into very impatient boys." Haati snorted in the background, more amused than he probably should be the _di'kut_. "Yes, this is where it gets boring. And you know what? You won't be any less dead if you get it wrong." Picking up some shuura fruits he tossed one to each of the Delta boys. He might not have trained them but they were still just boys. He didn't want any of them to make a fatal mistake. "And I really hope Vau schooled you well in this, because I'll be pretty hacked off if you get trigger happy and blow this op."

Boss gave him an offended look. "We're pros, Sarge. We know how to do this." It was as close to petulant as any of the Commandos got.

"What did I tell you?" He asked, tone bordering on scolding.

"Sorry. Kal. It's just that we haven't even seen the enemy yet." And it was clearly making him impatient.

"Welcome to anti-terror ops, hotshot. They aren't droids. They don't line up and march at you. Didn't you listen to any of my lectures?" The room quieted for a moment, even Haati didn't seem to want to interrupt. But then he'd always been polite like that. At least when something was important.

"Well-" Boss never even got to finish that thought.

"They can kill you and not even be on the planet when they do so. But you can track and kill them the same way. This is about patience and attention to detail."

"Delta's really good at that, so I hear." A slow mischievous smirk was crossing Fi's face, spurred on by Sev's icy stare and blank expression. "That's why they do their op planning with finger paints." Kal picked up a crumpled ball of flimsy and lobbed it at Fi, smacking him hard on the ear.

"Okay, Ordo is going to score some credible explosives over the next few days, because that's going to be handy if we need to infiltrate cells. And we'll start surveillance of the drop point now because we don't have a time window when the explosives were due to be picked up. Four shifts- Fi and Sev as Red Watch, relieved by Dar and Boss as Blue Watch, relieved by Niner and Scorch as Green Watch." He watched Atin's expression go cold, hard. He knew the boys would have problems but this would take some work to smooth over. "That leaves you and Fixer as White Watch, so you remain focused." Kal prodded Atin in the chest, keeping his focus solely on him. "One watch on observation, one on intel collation, and two stood down."

"What about everyone else?"

"Ordo's going undercover to find our mole, while Bardan and Etain will join the normal shift rotations until we need to break into a new phase. If needed we have Haati over there, Vau, and Enacca to turn to and give us a hand." Haati chuckled and Etain nodded.

"Can we use the Force, Kal?" Bardan looked far too comfortable and excited in the plainclothes he'd been given. Like an eager to please puppy.

"Course you can, Bard'ika. As long as nobody notices. Or as long as you don't leave witnesses, anyway. Same goes for lightsabers. No witnesses. Might look a bit obvious." A _jetti_ going around killing 'innocent' civilians would attract all the wrong kinds of attention.

"When do we start?" Boss asked. Kal looked down at his chrono.

"Three hours. Time to eat, I think." The lads jostled and cajoled one another as they filed down the stairs. It didn't matter that they'd devoured the tables worth of snacks already. The boys were always hungry. He noticed Etain heading into the fresher and felt a twinge of concern. Today had been hard on her. But he had to know if she could do what needed to be done and stick it out. There was too much at stake.

Haati got up from the chair and fell in step with him. Behind them he could hear Dar checking up on the girl, which made him simultaneously proud and apprehensive. But then Dar was a very sincere boy so he let it go.

"Got somewhere we can be alone?" Haati gave him a downright evil grin and Kal glared at him.

"None of your _osik_." There were too many reasons to count why that was just plain wrong. Haati outright laughed at him for a moment before he sobered up.

"I know, sorry. I'll drop the act." Instantly the carefree and playful man was replaced by someone far more competent and deadly. Someone confident, sure of themselves in a way most people would never achieve. It was downright terrifying the first time you saw it, but after a while you got used to the abrupt change.

Kal took him to one of the other rooms and Haati pulled out a disruptor. Whatever information he brought it was important.

"First, Jango and Bob'ika asked me to say hi." Kal let himself relax a little and smiled.

"How is Bob'ika? He should be eleven now, right?" Haati's smile turned genuinely happy.

"He's doing fine. Still serious and curious, always asking questions that boy. Jango's started him on more advanced hand to hand and I've started to teach him some force techniques." It wasn't a well known fact that Boba was force sensitive, and they meant to keep it that way. But Kal had been there when they'd found out. It was one of the things that tipped them off to what the Kaminoans were doing. It still sent a bolt of anger through him to remember how many children had been killed before they put a stop to it permanently.

"Now, the information I have. It's just a rumor, unconfirmed at the moment, that there's a _jetii_ with the ability to heal clones. Not just simple healing either, the kind of healing that would leave most _jetii_ in the dust. No one knows where she came from but the word is already spreading amongst the _vode_." Kal felt his heart clench in his chest.

"What kind of healing?" Haati's eyes sparkled.

"It's barely whispers at this point, but someone mentioned she could heal on a genetic level." Kal leaned against the wall, it was hard to breathe.

"If you're fucking with me I'll kill you." Haati's face twisted in offense.

"What good would that do you? Jango would kill you in revenge and then where would the boys be?" The younger looking man scoffed and crossed his arms. "I'm not fucking with you. I want this as much as you do, Kal. Remember, some of them are my boys too. I've already lost too many to the _di'kutla jetii_ and their stupid suicidal missions." Kal let out a sigh.

"I know…" He closed his eyes and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "_N'eparavu takisit_." Haati nodded, accepting the apology easily.

"I know they're just rumors. But I figured your boys would be able to find more solid information. Until then I'll stick around, help you with whatever I can." Haati held out his arm and Kal took it, clasping forearms. Another force sensitive would be useful. Especially one who was _Mando'ad_.

"Try not to encourage Bard'ika too much. He's already getting reckless." Haati laughed as he turned off the disruptor and stashed it back in his belt.

"I'll try, no promises."

* * *

Mando'a Translations

Jetii- Jedi.  
Jet'ika- Little Jedi. Often used for Padawans but it can also be considered either an endearment or an insult, depending on context.  
Ba'vodu- Aunt/Uncle. There is no gendered language in Mando'a so the long translation is 'Sibling of my parent.'  
Shab/la- A harsh curse. In this case I used it in place of the word Fuck.  
Cuy'val Dar- Those who no longer exist.  
Beskar'gam and Kama- Mandalorian armor made with Mandalorian iron. And the belt-spat, the half skirt that hangs from the belt to protect the legs.  
Buir- Parent.  
Osik- Curse. Equivalent to Shit.  
Vod/Vode- Non gendered term for sibling, comrade, or friend. Vode is plural.  
Di'kut/la- Idiot, Fool, and the adjective.  
N'eparavu takisit- An apology. Literally meaning, I eat my insult.


	9. Definitely a Jedi

Standing on the bridge, waiting for their new orders to come in, he glanced over at Anakin when he received a personal holo-call. On the other end was one of the _vod_, Kicker one of the more experienced Sergeants. Whatever happened to make him personally call a General had to be big, especially with how obviously uncomfortable he was.

"What is it Sergeant?" His General asked, sounding worried.

"It's Healer Liera, Sir." Anakin and Obi-wan stiffened, glancing at each other as they spoke over their bond.

"Has something happened?" Kicker glanced away from the holo-call, flinching before looking back at the two Generals.

"Miss Liera is on the training deck. She's taken over one of the salles. We didn't mind at first but she's been pushing herself hard the past hour and won't respond to us when he try to speak with her. We can't get close enough to jog her out of her… trance? Not while she's wielding lightsabers, Sir." Rex glanced at Cody and opened a private comm channel.

_"If Kicker is having a problem then it's more serious than the Generals think."_ He heard his brother let out a small sigh.

_"Any CFS's strong enough to stop her without being discovered?"_ Cody made a thoughtful sound and went silent. Rex waited, knowing his brother was giving the situation all of his attention.

_"You, me, Appo maybe."_ He wanted to curse. There were just too few of them strong enough to realistically go toe to toe with a jedi without giving away their affinity with the force. Oh sure, there were a few strong enough to use brute force but they would have to drop their shields to do it. Then all of them would be in trouble of discovery.

_"I'll go, you're needed here."_ He knew that Cody wanted to protest but he also knew his brother was smarter than that.

"General Skywalker," Anakin turned to look at him questioningly, "allow me to go see what the problem is." Both of the jedi scrutinized him for a moment, glancing at each other with unreadable expressions, before his General finally nodded.

"Alright, Rex. Let me know if you need any back-up." He hid a snort of amusement at the cheeky grin on Anakin's face. He knew that his General was probably bored to death waiting for intel and orders. Waiting was never his strong suit.

As he traveled to the training deck he wondered what the ex-jedi could be doing that would make his brothers straight up uncomfortable. He knew that a lot of them liked her, she had gained a lot of respect for how she treated the vode. Some of them were even downright protective, already thinking of her as a v_od'ika_. Much like how Rex thought of Ahsoka.

Exiting the lift he immediately felt that something was… off. Decius was waiting anxiously for him and almost sagged in relief when he appeared. "Sir, this way." He turned and jogged toward the largest of the salles. Rex followed on his heels.

The closer he got to the hall the more he could feel it, like a heavy weight on his chest. It made his skin prickle, even beneath his armor. The air was charged, filled with emotion. When he finally stepped into the salle he looked around at the crowd of _vode_ as they hugged the wall closest to the door. Their attention was solely on the pale figure in the middle of the room as they muttered amongst themselves. Decius alerted Kicker that he'd arrived and the sergeant quickly came to speak with him.

"Sir, thank the stars you're here. I have no idea what to do about… well that." He waved in the direction of the lone jedi.

"I can see that." And he could. The young woman became a blur as she launched herself across the floor, rolling, and coming to her feet. Searing white blades snapped into existence as she performed a quick flurry of thrusts and slashes. Turning she raced toward one of the walls, leapt into the air, and used it as a springboard to perform an overhead slash that would have destroyed the floor had her control not been perfect. Once again she blurred faintly before she was off, doing more outrageous stunts.

Even from where he stood near the door he could see her back was soaked with sweat and her breathing was becoming ragged. There was a ripple in the force around her that made it hard to approach, as if she was trying to keep everyone away. Expanding his shields Rex closed his eyes and reached out to her. An intense feeling of righteous anger, sadness, and focus echoed back to him and he winced. He could see why the v_ode_ were disturbed.

"I'll handle it." Unclipping his weapons and _kama_ he handed them off to Decius before slipping off is helmet and tossing it to Kicker. They would only get in the way and weigh him down. His brothers parted out of his way as he walked toward the healer. Taking a slow breath he pulled on his connection to the force and allowed it to flow through him, strengthening his body and sharpening his concentration. He would need to be careful how he went about stopping her.

Time almost seemed to slow as he watched Liera move. He could feel a tingle at the back of his mind, his danger radar as Cody liked to call it, and knew the exact moment he needed to move. Liera ended an elaborate set of slashes before twirling her sabers to readjust their position against her palms. Rex saw the opening and took it. Dashing forward with a speed that wouldn't have been possible for a normal human he grabbed both of her wrists and pushed her arms back and away, so she couldn't accidentally hurt him or herself. She struggled for a moment but he could feel the trembling in her limbs. There was an oddly unfocused look in her eyes and he cursed. He'd seen this happen to other force users before. "Liera! **Stand down**." He commanded, using the force to augment his words so he could reach her.

Blinking rapidly her focus began to return and her body sagged with exhaustion. Perplexed she looked up at him. "C-Captain?" Her lightsabers powered down and he let go of her wrists, feeling relieved. Quickly he pulled his shields back and reinforced them, making sure his force signature was that of a normal everyday human.

"Yes." Taking a step back he watched her fumble as she tried to return her lightsabers to her belt. Normally she was a well of energy, always on the move even if her expression was serene. Right now she seemed so small, shaken, and frail. "Are you… okay?" He asked cautiously. She looked tired, worn, and Rex wondered if she hadn't been pushing herself a little too hard lately.

She was quiet for a moment. "…no." He could see the turmoil in her eyes before she looked down. "No, I don't think I am." She took a couple of shaky breaths, Rex reached out hesitantly and placed a hand on one of her slender shoulders.

"Come on, you need to sit down. The men were worried about you." Glancing over at the crowd of soldiers, who were watching them carefully, a pale pink colored her cheeks.

"I didn't meant to worry anyone, I just…" She didn't know what to say and looked down, biting her lip nervously.

"You were angry, sad, and needed an outlet. We understand that. But you fell pretty deep and no one could approach you to call you back." Her bright violet eyes looked up into his and he sucked in a breath at the understanding he found there. A normal sentient wouldn't have known that she'd been channeling the force and let her mind wander too far.

_'Kark, I messed up!'_ An almost sad smile crossed her face.

"You don't need to worry, Captain, I already know." A cold shiver ran down his spine. Someone knew he was force sensitive, of course he'd be worried! "I just said you didn't need to worry." He could practically hear the eye roll before her voice softened. "I would never divulge your secrets. Any of them. I swear they are safe with me." Staring into her eyes he felt no sense of danger, no hint of betrayal. He wanted to believe her, so he did. So far she had been nothing but caring, supportive, and kind to the v_ode_.

"Why were you so angry?" The sudden topic change surprised her.

"Oh, well, I was talking with Kix and Chief Marrow. They explained the accelerated aging to me." Her expression grew thunderous and Rex felt confused. "I'd been healing it without realizing that it was something done to you on purpose. I thought it was a side effect of the cloning process."

_'Wait, that's what she's angry about?'_ Rex almost couldn't believe it.

"They've robbed you of your freedom and now I learn they've robbed you of your proper lifespan. It's just not right!" She sounded utterly disgusted with the idea and he couldn't help but wince. "Thankfully I know now. So I'll be healing all of your brothers." The way she emphasized the word made him pause.

"All of them?" His throat felt tight, the words had to be forced out of him.

"Of course, all of them. Anyone I can get my hands on. Not just the 501st and the 212th but any other battalions we come across." There was conviction in her voice, determination. Rex had no idea what to say in response.

The silence stretched on before he was finally able to find his voice. "Thank you." She looked surprised and he briefly wondered why she had such an odd aversion to gratitude. He cleared his throat. "Come on, let's reassure them that you're fine and take you somewhere you can rest." Knowing the state she was in he knew she'd need a lot of water and something to eat. She'd probably pass out soon once the adrenaline finally wore off.

He kept his hand on her shoulder as he steered her toward the door, and the group of men who were looking far more relaxed now that one of their jedi wasn't trying to kill themselves. In amongst the vode she gave them all a sheepish look and apologized for worrying them. Telling everyone that she would be fine with a little rest and that they shouldn't worry about her. Kicker snorted and Rex couldn't help grinning at him as he took his _kama_ back from Decius.

"Why were you trying to exhaust yourself? Are you having trouble sleeping?" One of the younger brothers asked. She ducked her head almost shyly but nodded, always honest with them. "Why? What's wrong?" A tired sigh escaped her.

"I shouldn't… It's…" She looked around at the worried looks before staring down at the floor. "I've been having nightmares." She finally admitted.

"Can't you ask someone with the force to help you?" One of the men asked, glancing over at Kicker and Rex. A polite smile crossed her face but Rex was fairly certain it was a bluff.

"Oh, I couldn't bother your Generals. They're busy enough trying to keep everything together." There was something a little off about the way she spoke of the Generals but he couldn't put his finger on it. Add to that she wasn't mentioning coming to one of the _vode_ for help, and he felt annoyed. Why it irked him he had no idea.

"Would sleeping with someone else help?" One of the shinies, Ehn maybe, finally spoke up. Liera looked over at the younger brother and smiled.

"Hm, I don't know…" He could tell she was uncertain about the idea and unsure how to respond. Better stop that line of thought here and now. If they weren't careful that sort of thinking could get them in trouble.

"I think one of the Medics or a General would be best equipped to tackle that problem." He kept his tone neutral, not wanting to scold the kid for speaking up. "I highly suggest you speak to one of the Generals, Miss. You can't keep working yourself to exhaustion." There was a stubborn look on her face before she let it go. He slipped on his helmet to hide his amused smile. "Why don't you boys show her one of the common rooms. She needs to sit down and re-hydrate. Something to eat wouldn't be amiss either." A couple of the _vode_ were quick to offer themselves as a guide, their excitement and willingness to help clear. Liera looked like she wanted to protest for a moment but in the end she just smiled at them, giving in and laughing as they led her away.

Rex watched her walk off with the others, satisfied that she'd be taken care of. It was clear now that the _vode_ liked and accepted her, and for good reason. Other than the majority of the jedi there were few natural-borns who treated them as individuals, as actual people. The young healer had been adopted. Which meant she now had a lot of over-protective brothers.

He opened the comm channel. _"All good here. The_ vode _have her and will make sure she takes care of herself."_ Cody chuckled.

_"Alright_ vod'ika,_ get your_ shebs _back up here. I need you to help curb a Skywalker Plan in the making."_ Rex snorted. Skywalker Plans never ended well.

_"Be right there_ ori'vod." One of these days his General would become sensible. They they would know they were all doomed.

[Clip]

Sitting in one of the larger common rooms he saw a commotion at the door and turned to see what all the fuss was about. A bright smile crossed his face as he recognized the small pale form in amongst the _vode_. They led her over to one of the couches and she sat down, looking tired. Clip frowned when he noticed her hands shaking and her disheveled hair. Grabbing a cup he found one of the boxes of tea and boiled some water. With a cup of caf for himself in one hand and a cup of tea in the other he approached the group.

By the time he had finished with the tea there was nowhere to sit. Their healer was surrounded by _vode_, both the couch and majority of the floor was taken. Clip chuckled, he understood wanting to be near her. She was fun, kind, and remembered all of their names.

"Here, Miss. I hope you don't mind but I made you some tea." Her eyes lit up and she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Clip." A couple of brothers had to shift out of the way so he could get close enough to give her the tea. The grateful look she gave him and content smile once she settled back down were worth the extra effort.

"You know… if you all have better things to do, more important things, you don't need to stay here with me. I can take care of myself." No one moved and more than one man was rolling his eyes or letting out a sigh.

"Ah, there it is. There's that jedi disregard for their own self care." Someone snorted and Liera's eyebrows rose in mock outrage.

"Excuse you, but I take very good care of myself… normally." She grimaced before chuckling with the men around her.

"I never did ask, but what's our heading?"

"Coruscant, Miss. We're almost there." She nodded, though she seemed distracted. Clip was pretty sure he knew why.

He was one of the men who had refused to leave her side and stayed with her in medical when she was unconscious. When General Kenobi had come into her room he'd somehow ended up waking her. Something to do with the force. He could remember the look of defiance and grief on her face when she asked if the General was there to arrest her, and spoke about her master being killed. About how she was no longer a jedi. If they returned to Coruscant what would the other Generals do? Would she be punished for being a defector? For a clone defecting meant being decommissioned if you were caught, killed for disobeying orders. What would the jedi do?

"Hey, quiet." Coming out of his thoughts he heard one of the _vod_ suddenly hiss. Clip smiled at the sight. Miss Liera had fallen asleep and slumped over, leaning against Kicker's side as her breathing evened out. Zipper took the tea cup handed to him and went to put it in the sink. Clip caught Kicker's eye and was given an appreciative nod. He'd known the tea was a good idea.

"Don't worry, Miss. We've got you."

* * *

Mando'a Translations

Vod- Brother/Sister/Sibling. Also used for comrade in arms.  
Vode- Plural for Vod.  
Vod'ika- Little sibling.  
Ori'vod- Big/elder sibling.  
Shebs- Behind, butt, arse.


	10. Interrupted Naps and Panic Attacks

With everything else more or less squared away for their return to Coruscant Anakin was left with nothing to do. Until Obi-wan had asked him, very politely mind you, if he wouldn't mind finding Liera and making sure she got ready before they arrived. His former master, brother his mind whispered, had one last call with the council to make and unfortunately couldn't find the young lady for himself in time for their arrival. Anakin agreed and set off to find the wayward healer. Sure he could have asked one of the troops to do it for him, any one of them would do it with little or no fuss. But there was something in the force that was nudging him, telling him it should to be him who found the young woman.

It was odd, he thought to himself. Ever since he'd had to rein in his force presence and pay strict attention to what he let past his shields he'd been able to hear the whispers of the force far more clearly. It was as if his own power had been so loud he was drowning everything else around him and now that he was trying to be quiet he could actually hear something other than himself. It reminded him of his early childhood. The way that everything seemed to sing around him, each life force their own special sound. With a frown he realized that he hadn't heard that beautiful melody in a long time. It was like something had been shoved into his ears and muffled everything around him for so long he'd forgotten what the music of life sounded like. Now that he was 'listening' he could hear the clones, his men, around him and it was eye opening. Each one was so different he wondered how any of them could be considered a copy of one man.

Passing by one of the large communal rooms, letting the force guide him while he was lost in his own thoughts, he stopped and turned back. Standing partially hidden by the door frame he looked inside the room to find it filled with troops. Catching sight of the woman he was looking for his brows raised and eyes widened slightly. The fact that she was taking a nap wasn't too surprising, Rex mentioned that she had been pushing herself hard lately. What was surprising was the pile of napping troops spread out on the floor around the couch where she was resting. Some of them had their backs against the couch, sitting up and leaning on one another, while others were using their brothers as pillows, curled up on the floor together. It was like nothing Anakin had seen from them before.

Sure, on the battlefield he had seen some of the men sitting back to back as they took a rest, to make sure no one could sneak up on them, but that was in the middle of hostile territory. Men would take shifts to have a quick rest and he knew they could sleep damn near anywhere. But what he was witnessing here was something entirely different.

Nestled into the side of one of his sergeants the young healer was sleeping peacefully, not a care in the world. The sergeant was leaning on her as much as she was leaning on him, his arm wrapped around her back and hand resting on her waist almost protectively. From his slow, shallow, breathing pattern Anakin figured the man had also fallen asleep. Sitting on either side of them two men were drinking caf and reading datapads quietly, their eyes up and scanning the room every now and then as if they were on guard duty.

Around the room he saw men talking together in groups, playing cards or games like go, cleaning weapons or armor, and even studying or reading datapads on their own. The atmosphere felt light, welcoming. There was no tension, no anger, no fear. Just feelings of contentment, acceptance, and community. Almost like how he felt whenever he was alone with Obi-wan and Ahsoka. Like how he remembered feeling when he and his mother were alone in their home after a long day of work. After a moment he realized what the feeling was and had to swallow the lump in his throat. Family. It felt like family.

Anakin wanted to berate himself. Just like everyone else he'd fallen into the trap of thinking these men were soldiers and nothing else. It made him feel sick to his stomach to realize he had been treating them like war machines, with no other interest than to fight against the Separatists. He'd been treating them like a Master treats his slaves. Guilt rose in him like bile and he felt like he couldn't draw breathe. It felt like drowning.

"Oi, Spanner, you're one of the best at languages. Can you tell me what this says?" Someone speaking nearby caught his attention and he noticed two clo- men, talking. One was sitting at a table, parts and tools laid out in front of him as he tinkered with something. The other had come over and was holding out a datapad. Spanner, the man sitting at the table, took the datapad with a disgruntled look. Looking it over he mumbled to himself for a moment.

"Looks like someone was trying to write Ryl in Auerebesh characters with Galactic Basic conjugation rules." Spanner started to snicker. "Where the _haran_ did you find this? Two words, _vod, ani shu'shuk_." Anakin frowned in confusion as they grinned at each other. He had no idea what they'd just said.

"Well what does it say?" Spanner looked it over again, brows furrowed in thought.

"I think it's asking if someone wants to meet up for lunch. Or they are swearing vengeance on a pair of trousers." Both men's eyes met for a silent moment before they both burst into unrepentant snickers, trying their hardest not to laugh out loud for fear of waking anyone in the nap pile. "Please tell me you didn't write this, Gav?" Taking the datapad back Gav shook his head, shoulders still shaking with mirth.

"No, but if I find out who did it I'll sic you on them." They shared a playful grin before Gav wandered off to continue reading and Spanner returned to his tinkering.

He was so focused on the odd, yet somehow uplifting, conversation Anakin didn't notice when one of the men turned to leave the room and spotted him.

"General!" Around the room men jumped out of their seats and stood at attention. Biting his tongue he gave them all a friendly smile and came inside. He really wished they would just go back to relaxing but he knew they wouldn't. There was just too large a gap between a general and the regular troops.

"At ease, men. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'm just here to make sure Healer Liera has time to get ready before we reach Coruscant." He was pretty sure she'd want a shower and to change out of her training clothes before she had to meet with the jedi council. She was looking rather disheveled at the moment.

"Of course, Sir. One moment." The man sitting next to the sergeant tapped his shoulder twice and the man immediately woke. Suddenly alert he looked at his brothers with a small frown before noticing Anakin. His body twitched, shoulders stiffening and expression becoming blank. Anakin was certain that if Liera hadn't been leaning against him the sergeant would have also jumped to his feet. The sergeant stared at him, dark eyes wary and judging as he slowly retracted his arm from around Liera's waist; as if he hoped the motion wouldn't be noticed.

"General, Sir." He acknowledged. Anakin nodded politely.

"Sergeant, would you wake Healer Liera? She needs to get ready before we arrive on Coruscant." The man blinked and glanced at the chrono on the wall before his face twitched in what might have been an aborted wince.

"Yes, Sir." Gently the sergeant shook the young woman's shoulder, as if he was afraid to hurt her. Whether it was the shaking itself or the sergeant's intent in the force Liera opened her eyes and looked up him.

"Kicker?" She asked groggily, word heavy on her tongue with sleep. Blinking a few times she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before she finally noticed how stiff and quiet the atmosphere was around her. Her focus shifted to Anakin and she gave him a small smile.

"Knight Skywalker, I assume you're here to wake me because we are close to our destination?" He nodded, not wanting to repeat himself for a third time.

"Thank you, that is very kind of you. I definitely need a shower and a change of clothes if I'm going before the council." She motioned to her rumpled clothing and messy hair. The men around her twitched as she spoke, expressions going tight with worry.

"Thank you, Kicker. I don't think I've slept that peacefully in a while." She said as she stretched, hiding a yawn behind her hand. The sergeant looked up at her, though Anakin had the distinct impression the man was keeping an eye on him as well.

"It was nothing, Miss. We're just glad you're feeling better." Smiling she slowly made her way through the pile of sleeping troopers and walked over to meet him.

"Shall we?" He motioned toward the door with a half bow. It was polite to let a lady go first, Padme and Obi-wan had taught him that much at least. Liera turned to the the room and gave the men a low bow. The men fidgeted slightly, looking as if they wanted to say something but were too wary to speak. To Anakin's eyes it almost looked like she was saying good-bye. The kind of good-bye that meant two people would never meet again. It sent a shiver of alarm down his spine.

Following her out of the room he walked beside her, slowing his stride so she could keep up. As they made their way through the halls of the _Resolute_ he started to notice a troubling pattern. Whenever they passed a trooper in the corridor their reaction would change drastically depending on who they noticed first. Whenever the men spotted him they tensed slightly, as if expecting to be rebuked. Then they would notice Liera at his side and begin to relax slightly. But if they noticed Liera first they would smile or nod politely in greeting, expressions open and honest. Then they noticed him and their expressions became blank slates.

"You're troubled." Looking down at the short healer he let out a sigh.

"I guess you could say that." He mumbled.

"The way your men react to you bothers you, doesn't it? You're not used to being in charge, of having people be subservient to you." He frowned, feeling agitated. It wasn't like she was wrong, and she didn't sound accusatory. Yet he felt the urge to deflect anyway, to change topics so he didn't have to think about it any more. Her vibrant eyes softened as she looked up at him.

"You don't have to answer me if you don't want to. I'm not in your chain of command, you owe me nothing. But if you ever want to talk about your troubles I would be happy to listen." The smile she gave him was full of kind understanding and patience. For a moment his heart ached. It reminded him of his mother. "I want you to know that I won't judge you. It's not my place to judge others."

Anakin let out the breath he didn't remember holding and returned her smile. He didn't know how she did it. How she could be so calm and accepting one minute then fiercely protective and passionate the next but remain squarely in the light the whole time. He wondered if she'd explain it if he asked her… He pushed the thought away for the time being. They were almost at the medical bay anyway.

[Liera]

When they made it to her quarters Skywalker leaned against the wall outside. "I'll be out here when you're done. I have to escort you to the hangar." Liera tried to smile, she really did, but it came out a little strained. He looked as if he was going to ask her if she was okay but she quickly left the young knight standing in the corridor. She really did not have time to explain herself at that moment.

Once she'd finished having a quick shower she braided the sides of her hair and tied it back so the rest of her long hair would be kept out of the way. Closing her eye she reached toward the light switch and flicked it off. Looking at her reflection in the mirror she saw herself as she should have been and smiled sadly. The markings tattooed down her arms contrasted with the faint glow of her skin in the near darkness. Brushing a hand down the intricate swirls that represented her family lineage she felt her throat constrict. Somewhere out there, far in the past, were people waiting for her return. How long had they waited before they believed her dead? Did they recite the _Meialhaasii Aouulha_ to ferry her spirit to the gods?

Turning away from the mirror she unfolded her clothes and dressed swiftly. By the time she exited the fresher she was no longer Starlight of the Far Skies, child of Those Who Seek the Truth. She had turned back into Liera Buraaisuh of the Jedi Order, child of no one, daughter of the Light.

Stepping back into the corridor she smiled at Skywalker. He smiled back and waved them onward.

It was a quiet walk through the ship to the hangar, for which she was grateful. The extra time to think and prepare herself for what was to come helped keep her calm, even as they came closer and closer to what she was dreading.

Coming into the hangar she stuck close to Skywalker as they found he transport ship taking them to the temple. Hesitating at the bottom of the ramp she watched Skywalker walk inside confidently and sighed to herself. Grudgingly she entered the ship and found a place to sit. Wrapping her arms around herself she closed her eyes and started taking slow, deep, breaths. She felt others enter the ship and settle around her but didn't open her eyes.

Beneath her she could feel the hum of the ship as it was starting up. People spoke, orders were given and received, and sooner than she hoped they were off. As the ship flew through the air she found herself hunching in on herself more and more, swallowing her nerves as best she could.

"Liera? Are you alright?" A voice close to her made her open her eyes. Skywalker and Kenobi were both looking at her with worry and she realized she had pulled her legs up and was practically in the fetal position. She gave them a sickly smile and shook her head. It was best to be honest.

"No." The sound came out sounding much weaker than she intended. She cleared her throat and tried again. "No, I'm not. But it's okay, I'll be fine once we land." Understanding seemed to dawn on Kenobi first and he gave her a sympathetic look in response. Skywalker, on the other hand, looked confused. She would have to explain it further for him to really understand.

"I don't like flying. I can do it if I have to, but not being in control of the ship scares me." Skywalker blinked at her, mouth falling open slightly.

"But… you use Ataru." She could feel his concern/disagreement/bafflement and sighed.

"Ataru and flying are not the same. I'm not afraid of heights, Skywalker. I'm afraid of the possible loss of control. We are putting our lives in the metaphorical hands of a machine. Something that can not be reasoned with. If it suddenly breaks," her voice wavered and she had to clear her throat again, "then we will all fall. With the possibility of tons of metal falling on our heads and crushing us." Both Kenobi and Skywalker were staring at her now. "I have never been very good at telekinesis…" She explained, nibbling on her bottom lip.

Skywalker looked over at Kenobi and the master gave the knight a reassuring smile. "Well, we're almost there. We will be touching down soon. We'll give you a minute to get your bearings once we land." She gave him a grateful smile and closed her eyes again, trying to fall into a light meditation until it was over.

They landed on Coruscant with no problems and she heaved a sigh of relief. Grounding herself with techniques she had learned long ago she slowly felt the tremors in her body recede and began to relax. It had been a long time since she'd been on Coruscant and even if this was not the time she was used to there were some things she knew would never change. Like the vast amounts of people on the planet where she'd grown up. Opening herself to the force she felt a jolt and immediately closed the connection.

_'What… what in the Force was that?'_ It felt as if the very air itself was coated in something oily, slick and cold as ice but thick and cloying. Pushing the feeling away she decided not to think on it right then. She had a meeting with the Council to contend with first.

Skywalker and Kenobi waited for her to stand on her own and make sure she was okay before they all descended the ramp. Taking her first steps on Coruscant in over four years she smiled as the feeling of millions of life forces surrounded her. The familiar feeling of the temple nearby was a balm on her nerves, even if she no longer believed in the order itself.

"Anakin, my boy! Welcome back." An elderly voice called out to them and she zeroed in on an older man in sparsely decorated but refined robes. Kenobi and Skywalker greeted the man as if he were an acquaintance or, in Skywalker's case, and old friend. Liera froze behind the jedi, unable to move.

"Chancellor, you needn't have come this far to greet us. We know you are a busy man." The elder man smiled and it was the most terrifying thing she had ever witnessed in her life. The two jedi conversed with him as if everything was fine while the assorted aides stood by, waiting for them to finish. Liera was certain, from a normal person's perspective, that everything seemed to be perfectly fine. But she was far from normal.

Before her eyes stood the physical embodiment of a black hole. Colors inverted, emotions twisted, and light devoured. Everything else was overshadowed by this man's very presence. It was an affront to everything she knew and loved.

"Liera?" Kenobi put a hand on her arm and her eyes darted over to him. His force presence was carefully shielded but she could see the concern he had for her. She gave him a small nod and he smiled. "We were introducing you to the Chancellor." That was the second time they'd called him Chancellor. If the way things worked hadn't changed in the last seven hundred years then the elder before her was in control of the Galactic Senate. This day could not get any worse.

She swallowed her fear and layered calm politeness over top of it. Just as she had when meeting every warlord or villain on a political mission. "My apologies, Chancellor. I did not mean to be rude." The man smiled at her in a way that she thought others might call benevolent and patient.

"No apologies necessary. I can see you are overwhelmed. Knight Skywalker here was just telling me that you are a healer and have been a great hep keeping his men alive. You have my gratitude." She let her eyes drop to the ground and ducked her head, unable to look at him any longer.

"Please, there is no need for thanks. It is an honor." The words felt flat and insincere on her tongue, her stomach was tying itself into knots.

The Chancellor spoke with Skywalker and Kenobi for a few moments more before he took his leave. Liera remained half hiding behind Kenobi the entire time.

She paid no attention to what was being said or when they started walking. It was like her body was on autopilot. She only began to notice her surroundings once they had entered the safety of the temple. The moment she felt safe she gasped and fell to her knees, entire body trembling so hard she could barely hold herself up. Immediately Kenobi and Skywalker were by her side, their strong presences in the force a balm on her frayed nerves.

"Liera, what's wrong? Obi-wan, she's shaking!" Strong hands grabbed hers and she clung to them almost desperately, glad for the warmth they offered.

"She's so cold, is she going into shock?" Shutting her eyes tight she let the panic roll through her, forcing her breath to calm and her heart to slow. She could feel the sharp sensation of nearby sentients panicking, though they tried to keep dampened as much as possible. When she finally felt like she could speak she opened her eyes and looked straight at Kenobi.

"Th-that man… he was the Chancellor?" Kenobi blinked at her and nodded. Horror and dread filled her body like lead. "How did that psychopath get elected?" Her voice was barely above a whisper but Kenobi's eyes widened at her words. On her other side Skywalker tensed, confusion and affront rolling off him in waves.

"You saw him through the force?" Kenobi asked quietly. Liera nodded.

"Skywalker is like a supernova, he has the power to be anything, do anything. But at his heart he wants to stop the suffering of everyone he comes across, rather than use his power to hurt others." The confusion deepened and was colored with embarrassment. Liera would have smiled if it were under any other circumstances.

"And the Chancellor? What did you see when you looked at him?" She opened and closed her mouth a few times but no sound would come out. Instead she reached up and pressed her fingers to Kenobi's temple, watching him for a moment until he nodded his permission. Carefully she sent the images and sensations she had felt through the force and watched his face drain of color. Skywalker looked between them, becoming more and more agitated.

"Anakin, tighten your shields!" Kenobi said sternly as Liera began to gasp for air. The rebuke startled the young knight and he quickly squashed his emotions and pulled his presence in.

"The Council must know of this." Liera nodded. "Can you stand?" Testing her legs she nodded again and allowed Kenobi to help her to her feet.

"Let's get you somewhere you can sit and calm down for a moment before we meet with the council." She let Kenobi lead her further into the temple, one arm around her shoulders, and relaxed into his hold. She was still shaken and had a hard time walking but the familiar feeling of the temple slowly warmed her. They walked down halls she remembered from her childhood and slowly the panic and fear began to ebb. It didn't go away, no. The man was far too much of a threat, especially with the amount of power he held, for her to let go of her fear entirely. But by the time she found herself sitting outside the council chambers she had wrangled her emotions under control.

Kenobi handed her a warm drink and she gave him a grateful smile as the cup warmed her hands. He left to speak with the council first and left her sitting alone with Skywalker. The knight was still confused and a little agitated but he kept it to himself, though his posture and expression told her he would not be dropping the topic, only waiting for the right time to bring it up again. She observed him from the corner of her eye and frowned. The amount of anger and discontentment he was showing was worrisome. She would have to see about gently getting to the bottom of his erratic feelings. Like Kenobi she doubted he would just come out and tell her exactly what was wrong, _if_ he even knew what was wrong in the first place.

"Padawan Buraaisuh, they will see you now." Liera frowned at the guards standing outside the chamber. Rather than bring up the fact that she was no longer a padawan she set aside her half finished cup of tea and rose from her seat. It was time to give the jedi a peace of her mind.

* * *

Mando'a Translations

Vod- Sibling, Brother/Sister  
Haran- Hell  
Ani Shus'huk- Total disaster


	11. Revelation

This took so long to write and I'm still not pleased with it. But I did my best.  
Trigger Warnings: Suggested non-consensual acts, mind/memory manipulation, and child grooming behaviors.

[Obi-wan]

"Fellow councilors, I regret to inform you that I bring news of a disturbing nature." Standing before the council he looked each of the others in the eyes, expression grim. Those in attendance tensed. Even Yoda's ears drooped in concern.

"What could have happened in the last six hours since your last holocall that has changed your opinion from mildly concerning to outright disturbing?" Mace asked tersely, brows furrowed.

"Is this about the young woman you've brought us today, hm?" The Grand Master asked, looking every one of his many years.

"Going off of my observations, interviews conducted with the troops, and personal interactions I can tell you with near certainty that Miss Liera is one of the most intriguing empaths I have ever encountered." While she was not the most sensitive empath he had ever met her way of interpreting what she felt through the force was certainly unique. "In her own words she has described what she sees as a form of Synesthesia, one that is tied to the force rather than one of the five other senses." Silence met his declaration and he bit back a sigh.

"And what is Synesthesia?" Master Plo Koon asked politely.

"Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses." Everyone turned to Master Allie when she began to speak. As the only councilor with a seat on the Circle of Jedi Healers she would know best about various medical conditions. "There are currently two accepted types of Synesthesia. Projective and Associative. Projective Synesthetes see things like colors, forms, or shapes when stimulated. Associative Synesthetes have very strong, involuntary, connections between the stimulus and the sense it triggers. Let's use Chromesthesia as an example. It is a form of Synesthesia which translates sound into colors. A Synesthete that Projects may hear a musical instrument and see a green triangle appear before them, almost like a hallucination. While a Synesthete that Associates might feel very strongly that the instrument sounds orange, whether they actively 'see' the color or not."

"From what she's told me she sees other sentients presence in the force as colors and shapes. She then associates those colors and shapes with personality traits, strength, discipline, and even force bonds. According to her, it is her training as a Mind Healer and her training in observational skills which gives her such clarity. Rather than an inherent strength in the force. Although heightened perception does seem to be a trait of her species." Obi-wan explained.

"If you understand her condition then what is it you've suddenly found disturbing?" A grimace crossed his face, although he tried his best not to let his feelings show.

"She shared with me her perception of someone through the force. It is their presence that I find disturbing. If this council will allow it, I will share the images and sensations she sent me. It would be the easiest way to explain." Yoda hummed from his seat, thinking over the offer.

"The others must make their own decisions, but wish to see this, I do." Stepping up to the wizened master Obi-wan knelt and allowed Yoda to place his gnarled hands against his temple. Falling easily into a near meditative state he brought forth what he had received from the young woman. After a moment the old master was pulling away, shaking his head sadly.

"Bode ill, this does."

In the end Masters Windu, Koon, Fisto, Allie, and Piell all agreed to experience the vision. With each sharing Obi-wan felt himself becoming more and more unsettled.

"I would very much like to speak with her when this meeting is over. One healer to another." Master Allie mentioned. "I am quite curious about her force techniques." Obi-wan couldn't help but to smile.

"I'm sure she'd be delighted to speak with another force healer." If the council did not completely alienate her, like they often did with Anakin. Obi-wan was quick to shove those thoughts as far away from the forefront of his mind as he could.

When everyone had finally settled Yoda sat up a little straighter in his chair.

"This vision is certainly a cause for alarm. However, meditate later on this, we must. Until then, more pressing matters we must attend to." Obi-wan quickly took his seat as Yoda motioned toward the doors, opening them with the force. One of the guards stepped inside with a bow of respect. "Please bring our guest." Another bow and the guard slipped out of the room. Moments later Liera stepped inside, looking a little better than before but still wary.

Standing before the councilors she looked them over quickly, as if assessing the amount of danger they might pose her. Suddenly her eyes widened and snapped back to the Grand Master. "It can't be… Master Yoda?" She asked, sounding both awed and uncertain. He smiled.

"Know me, you do?" She nodded, the uncertainty leaving her face as a smile crossed her lips.

"Of course I know you, Master Yoda. I just didn't think I'd ever get the chance to see you again." Here she finally gave a short bow. Straightening she continued to look over the councilors until her eyes landed on him. Turning to him she crossed her arms and gave him a mock glare. "You might have mentioned you were part of the council." Obi-wan hid an amused smirk.

"If I had done so, would you have spoken to me so flippantly?" Her stance shifted slightly.

"I'd like to think I would have. But… I can't be entirely certain." She shrugged her shoulders dismissively.

"Enough. Padawan we're here to discuss-" Mace began.

"I am _not_ a Padawan." Obi-wan winced slightly at the tense atmosphere as the young woman tried her best to stare down the Haruun Kal after her outburst. He had tried to warn them earlier during the holocall that she was in a volatile state, especially after the training room incident and the more recent panic attack she had suffered. It seemed they had not taken his warning to heart.

"Healer Liera, please try to remain calm." He said gently, drawing her attention back to him. "You'll need to have patience with us, we have not spoken to someone in your position who was not a member of the Order." Taking a deep breath she held it for a time before she let it out slowly. He recognized it as one of the breathing exercises she had been teaching the troops in passing. As she continued to breathe the tension bled off of her, fading until she was a calm presence in the force.

"Apologies. I would like to state, for whatever records you may keep of this discussion, that I prefer to be referred to by Healer or my first name." She finally said.

"Your objection, and preference, is noted; Healer Liera." She gave Mace a courteous nod.

"First things first, we wish to take a blood sample and compare it to our records. Do you consent to this?" Master Allie asked politely. Liera watched the woman for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, I will consent to having my blood tested." Getting up from her seat Master Allie took out a small device and held it out to the young woman. Liera took it with no hesitation and pressed her finger against it. Her only reaction to the test was the slight flinch when the needle punctured her skin. A few moments after handing back the device it pinged.

"It's a match." Master Allie assured them.

"Welcome you back to the temple, I do." Liera gave a polite half bow.

"Thank you, Master Yoda."

"Healer Liera, we wish to understand how you have so miraculously traveled forward in time. Can you explain what happened leading up to your sudden appearance?" Mace asked, his blank face giving nothing away of what he was feeling.

Liera slowly nodded, expression thoughtful. "After four years spent running away I just couldn't do it anymore. Although the people on my birth world were accepting of me and open to allowing me to stay it was not very… comfortable." She grimaced. "There are complex beliefs and cultural reasons why I was given to the Order mere months after I was born. They never expected to see me again. While they didn't mind me visiting and learning my heritage it was always as a Jedi. If I was to stay as a non-jedi I would have to adopt all of their cultural practices. Frankly, marrying a man I did not know and sharing him with my biological sister did not appeal to me." Many brows rose around the chamber.

"They have a very interesting belief system." Was her dry response to the questioning looks. "There was a world not far from Haasufeiliah, in the same star system, that was known to be sacred. I left my ship, picked a direction, and let the Force guide me. It led me to an abandoned temple that was bathed in light. It was as if the very air around it was made of water, teeming with life. The Force nudged me to keep going and I found myself in what seemed to be a large meditation chamber. I…" Her eyes seemed to glaze over as a warmth began to fill the room, driving away the ever present feeling of icy darkness. "I sat in the center of the room to meditate on my life, on the choices I've made. I felt… something… whispering in my mind. It asked me what I wanted most." It may have been a trick of the setting sun but Obi-wan was almost certain her eyes were actually glowing. What was it she was seeing?

"I told it the truth. I wanted my life back. I wanted to travel with my master in that terrible ship of his, going from planet to planet, helping everyone we came across. I wanted to see the light return to those who thought all hope was lost… then it answered." She closed her eyes and stood quietly for a moment. "It told me that my master was one with the Force, and that there was nothing I could do to bring him back. Not while still being _me_. But it told me that it could grant my other request. Then everything went blindingly white." She opened her eyes and shook her head, looking awed. "I have never felt anything like it before, Masters. It was like a great wave crashing down on me before flowing _through_ me. I felt as if every part of me was scrutinized, even the parts of me that I've always found wanting. It looked at me, flaws and all, and accepted me for who I am." Obi-wan tore his gaze away from the young woman and examined the faces of the other councilors. There was a dawning look of realization on Master Yoda's face and he wondered what the Grand Master knew that he didn't.

"The next thing I knew I was standing on a world I had never seen before. Collapsed in front of me was a man in armor, dying from a terrible wound. I was so disoriented, my shields had been torn to shreds, and all around me I could feel lives being snuffed out like candles in the wind. I just fell into what I've always done and… you probably know the rest from there." Finished speaking Liera stood there watching the councilors, looking for all the worlds like a lost child. Obi-wan was suddenly reminded that although she was around twenty years of age, past the age of majority, she was still quite young. Much like Anakin.

"Heard of such places, I have." All attention shifted to the Grand Master. "I have little doubt that the temple you describe was home to a Nexus. One we had little or no knowledge of, until now. Perhaps it is reason and explanation both, hm?" Obi-wan sat back in his seat, mind reeling.

A Force Nexus. One that had probably lain dormant since whatever entity presided over it decided to send one lone ex-padawan more than seven hundred years into the future. It was certainly a difficult story to believe. Yet he could sense no deception. Either the young woman was the galaxy's best actress or she thoroughly believed what she was saying to the point where it was no longer a deception.

"When this meeting is over I'd like you to point out the planet with the force nexus." She nodded.

"Now then. We would like to move on to your former Master's case." Liera tensed, sucking in a breath as her body went absolutely still, her attention squarely on Mace. It was no wonder, he thought to himself. Information on what happened to her master was the main reason Obi-wan had been able to convince her to come back to the temple.

"I'm so sorry, young one. Ashfurr Paldrel, former Jedi Master, was posthumously expelled from the order. He committed grave crimes and was killed when an investigation tea, could not subdue him in order to bring him back to the temple for trial." A sharp pang of confused hurt came from the young healer. Obi-wan winced.

"What crimes?" Yoda's ears were nearly touching his shoulders and his eyes closed, brow pinched with pain.

"Fallen, was your master. Accused of murdering innocents, manipulating the minds of others, and pursuing a forbidden relationship." Liera shook her head in denial, the hurt turning to anger.

"No! My master would never Fall! Master Paldrel was certainly odd, he liked to do things his own way, but he took care of me! Our bond was strong. I would have sensed it if he'd Fallen. I would have Seen it! There's no way I would have missed the crimes you were accusing him of!" Her hands were clenched fists at her sides and her teeth clenched mulishly.

"Young one… the accusations made… the one he harmed most… was you." Yoda said quietly.

"Wh-what?" Mace could sense, like they all could, that Master Yoda needed a moment to center himself. Mace continued in his stead.

"There are Mind Healer reports here, among other statements from concerned padawans and friends. They suggest the relationship between you and your master was… unhealthy. There were also gaps in your knowledge that were reported whenever you returned from an assignment." A slow look of understanding came over her before the air around her practically burned with her anger.

"You are not insinuating what I think you are?" Obi-wan felt his mouth go dry. He had not been privy to the information on Liera's master. Now he wish he'd known ahead of time what the reports entailed. Maybe he could have helped explain this situation in gentler terms.

"Some of these accusations were never confirmed. The gaps in your memories, your odd behavior, and the fact that your Ashfurr Paldrel _Fell_, however, are well documented. Both Battlemaster Mephital and Master Verxin testified that he used the dark side during their duel with him." The names mentioned made the young woman deflate.

"Master Mephital is one of the most honorable men I have ever met and Master Verxin would never lie about such things…" Her eyes closed tightly and he could feel echoes of pain-grief-disbelief-confusion. The councilors gave her a moment to collect herself before Master Kolar spoke.

"What of you? Have you ever touched the dark side? I find it difficult to believe that you had no knowledge of your Master's Fall." Obi-wan was gratified to see others looking at the Zabrak councilor with distaste. It was well known the male had very little tact but in this instance it was particularly unwelcome. Especially if, as they believe, the young woman's memories had been altered in some way.

"…all I have ever wanted to be was a Healer. Since I was little I have always been able to see past someone's smiling face to the pain they are hiding deep inside. It is a near genetic trait of my species that lying is almost impossible. So when I say that I have never touched the dark, Masters, I mean it with all of my being." She pushed back her slender shoulders and stood straighter. "Even if my master touched the darkness, if he F-Fell… that doesn't mean I knew about it or would follow him down that path." She scoffed. "I want you to understand, masters, that even with my innate abilities I am not infallible. I can be tricked and blindsided just like anyone else." She closed her eyes, brow pinched. "I was sixteen when I lost my master and had been recovering from an attempt on my life. We had been on the run from an allied group of warlords. They bombed a free clinic for the poor. It was full of innocent civilians! All to get to me. Because I was a Jedi and my master would not cooperate with the warlords." She took a shuddering breath. "Was I afraid? Yes. It would be foolish to bury or deny my feelings. Sentient beings feel fear, it is a _survival instinct_. Was I angry? Of course I was! One moment I was helping a young mother tend to her sick toddler and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by flames and all those innocent lives had vanished, like dust in the wind." Shaking her head she opened her eyes again. "But having emotions, accepting one has emotions, and even using those emotions, do not make me or anyone else a Darksider."

Obi-wan held his breath. Her words were gaining strength the more she spoke. The kind of strength and conviction primarily seen in seasoned knights and masters. Right now she looked less like a lost child and more like a proper jedi.

"After the life I've lived, devoting myself to helping others, touching the dark side would spit on everything I hold dear to my heart! My blood, sweat, and tears. Long nights studying medical texts and even longer days gaining practical experience. My self-respect and personal code of ethics. The love of my mas- the love of a man I considered my father." The room was silent when she finally stopped speaking. All around them the force sang, ringing with the truth of her words.

"Yet you've renounced your faith and your place in the Order?" Master Rancisis finally asked, breaking the silence

"I have, yes." Liera spoke with a finality that made Obi-wan sigh.

"Because of a misunderstanding. You thought that the Council at the time ordered the death of your master unjustly. Then when the masters tried to track you down, to make sure you were safe, you assumed they were there to kill you as well." Plo Koon spoke, his voice kind. "Now that you know this is not the case, what will you do? Since you have not touched the darkness we could allow you back into the Order." He raised a clawed finger. "With the stipulation that you see a Mind Healer." A couple of the councilors looked disgruntled at Plo's offer, yet he could see the look that passed between Yoda and Mace.

"No. I refuse to join the Order of today. Not after what I've seen." Her voice was cold, far colder than he'd ever heard her. Normally her anger was quick and hot but now she was practically frigid.

"What do you mean?" He asked pointedly, catching her attention.

"Well for starters, the fact that the Jedi are now claiming Military status."

"The Senate are the ones who placed the GAR in our hands." Liera did no looked convinced at all.

"I'd expect this of those with shorter lifespans, but Master Yoda? You were a Jedi Master not even three hundred years after the Ruusan Reformation. What was it that was asked of us then? What was it that was agreed upon by the Jedi Order and the Supreme Chancellor? The disbanding of our armies, abandoning of arms and armor save our lightsabers, and the refusal of any and all military ranks. And why was that?" She looked around the room, eyes boring into each of the present councilors. Obi-wan wondered if anyone else was holding their breath. "Because no one wanted to see the rise of another Sith Empire."

"We know our own history, young one. Is there a point you are trying to make?" There was a gleam in the young woman's eyes.

"If you are so afraid of the possibility of darkness in me, then perhaps you should look yourselves in the mirror and ask; who is closer to the darkness? Myself, or you? Because from where I'm standing it is certainly not me. I'm not the one with a slave army." The air was tense. Obi-wan could feel the sudden spike of alarm-offense-hurt-anger as the other masters took in her words.

"The Clones are not a slave ar-" Began Master Shaak Ti.

"Aren't they?" Standing he walked over to the young woman's side and faced the other councilors. "You know as well as I do that these men have never been given a choice. They were engineered, born, and raised to be nothing more than soldiers for the Republic." Looking at Liera he saw a look of surprise cross her face. He turned back to face the council. "We have all spent time in the presence of these brave young men. How many of them have displayed a creativity and uniqueness that has been both awe-inspiring and baffling in equal measure? How many of them have selflessly given their lives to save their brothers or the civilians they have been sent to protect? Though they were not naturally born there are many species where artificial insemination or even cloning is the only way for them to have young. Why are these men any different? They are Sentients like any other, with extraordinarily different personalities, skill sets, and Force signatures."_ 'They are not droids. They are not programmed and they are not expendable.'_ "Every time one of my men falls in battle I can feel their death in the Force. They are more than just soldiers, more than just clones; they are men. Human men who deserve the right to choose their own lives."

Mace let out a long suffering sigh and shook his head. "We know, Obi-wan. But what can we do? We have been in charge of the army for over a year now. I doubt-" Yoda cleared his throat loudly and Mace stopped.

"We shall speak of this matter later. Off topic we have become." Yoda looked up at him and he could see a mix of pride, sadness, and understanding in his eyes. "What to do with the young healer, we must decide." His wizened gaze shifted to Liera. "If choose you could, what would you wish to do?"

The question was posed to the young woman next to him. Turning he looked down at her with some uneasiness.

[Liera]

What did she want? Other than to go back to her own time with the new knowledge about her former master and go home to the temple?

"I want to stay with the 501st and finish healing them of their accelerated aging. I want to heal all of them of the accelerated aging. The whole army. Enough of their freedoms have been stolen away, I don't want their lifespan to be taken as well. That, at least, I can fix." She lifted her chin stubbornly, determined to help the men who had been so welcoming and kind to her. Men who had no choice but to march onto battlefields whether they wanted to or not.

"You can heal the accelerated aging in the clones? You can heal on a genetic level?" Master Allie's eyes were practically glittering with a mix between astonishment and excitement. "I want you to show me how it's done when we are finished here." For the second time since entering the council chambers Liera smiled.

"I would be glad to show you. If more healers know how to do it then it will take far less time to help them all!" Beside her Obi-wan was giving off amusement and a gentle acceptance. And wasn't that still a bit strange? That Obi-wan had come to stand by her and back her up. There was an ache in her chest, it reminded her so much of her former master.

"The 501st is Anakin's battalion, and a part of the GAR. Since you are no longer a Jedi, and more importantly not Anakin's padawan, you do not belong to that chain of command. You would be a civilian volunteer at best. Besides that, you will need Anakin's permission to join his battalion." Obi-wan reached up to stroke his beard thoughtfully. "Unless this council can be convinced to give you a special status that will allow you to move among the battalions without trouble." She looked between Masters Mace and Yoda. Both were hard to read in their own way but she could see they were honestly contemplating Master Kenobi's words.

"Devoted to helping others, you are. No objections, have I, to allowing you to continue your work. Senator Amidala has spoken highly of you, and Master Kenobi has told us of your efforts saving the lives of men thought lost." Yoda looked around at his fellow councilors for a moment, Liera held her breath.

"There are precedents for those who work with the Order, who are not a part of the Order. Old ranks, they are. Wish to grant you the title of Adept, I do. You will have the same access to information as a Knight, the same rank as a Chief Medical Officer. However you will be barred from leading men into battle." Liera frowned for a moment. She'd never heard of such a title or rank among the jedi. But she supposed that was the point? If even Yoda was calling it old then it was probably ancient. And if it was for those affiliated with the Order but not a part of the Order then it made sense to give her that rank.

"Does that grant me the same emergency powers as a Chief Medical Officer?" Mace frowned at her and she could sense a sliver of caution from him.

"What do you mean?" Liera bit her bottom lip for a moment, trying to find a way to explain without sounding like she was angling for more power. Although they could sense she was immersed in the light side it could look like she was beginning to fall.

"Meaning I can call a retreat if I believe someone in the chain of command is compromised, physically unable to lead, or mentally unstable. A Healer's job isn't just to see to the physical wellbeing of our patients. We see to their mental health as well." Which was why she had set up an office in the med-bay and made sure everyone knew she could be found there a few hours a day to talk. She'd been teaching some of the younger clones coping skills and grounding techniques. A lot of them complained about nightmares and showed signs of stress. "If I have the same rank as a Chief Medical Officer then I would outrank a General if, and only if, they are unfit to lead. In which case I would temporarily be assigned a leadership role until the immediate danger has passed, someone can be promoted to take my place, or until the General is once again fit for duty." She could see the frowns around her and had to wonder if any of them had spent time asking the clones about their standard operating procedures. This information she'd learned straight from Kix just by showing interest in how things worked. The men were more than happy to talk about their lives and what made them feel safe. At least with her. But she seemed to have somehow earned their trust almost immediately and still wasn't quite sure how.

"We will discuss this further and let you know our decision at a later date. For now you are dismissed, Adept Liera." Her nose crinkled slightly in displeasure but she gave the councilors a polite bow of respect. She still had problems with them, they seemed so incompetent compared to the masters of her day. But at least they weren't going to have her arrested or executed. As long as Anakin agreed she would be going back to the 501st to continue her work. Something in her chest eased. Soon she would be surrounded by those bright spirits again and off this world that now felt so alien.

"One last thing, Masters." The dark skinned man with the shaved head raised his eyebrows at her again, feeling incredulous in the force. She wanted to snicker but bit her tongue instead. "If I am not being arrested or anything of the like, that means I am free to go where I please correct? I can reacquaint myself with the temple and the world I grew up on?" There was surprise and a little sadness coming from the assorted councilors.

"Yes, you are free to go. But you must tell someone where you are going before you leave the temple. We'll have the Quartermaster assign you a guest room, a comm, and some clothes." Liera nodded. As long as they weren't jedi robes that would confuse others she was happy to have a change of clothes or two. Even if it was just one set of civilian clothes and a soft nightdress to sleep in she would be happy.

"Healer Liera," she turned to look at the female Tholotian, "I will find you later so we may discuss healing techniques. I would also recommend visiting the Halls of Healing and seeing one of the Mind Healers." Although she spoke as if it were a request there was a pointed look in her eyes. Liera couldn't help grinning.

"Thank you, Masters." She bowed once again and left the room.

As the doors closed behind her she felt a rush of relief flood her body. She wasn't being arrested or locked up. She wasn't going to be hunted or killed. She was being accepted, if grudgingly, for her healing abilities and allowed to help. It was the best outcome she could have hoped for! Happily she strode down the hall, heading towards the Halls of Healing.

A sudden feeling of pressure made her stop dead as she turned the corner and saw Anakin leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and scowling. She swallowed hard as a coldness began to settle in her gut. She could see that he was highly upset. The force, although still tightly contained, was swirling around the young man in vicious snarls of disbelief-distrust-anger-denial.

"Hello Knight Skywalker." She said politely. "Are you waiting for Master Kenobi?" Shaking his head he stepped toward her, blue eyes flashing.

"What did you mean when you called the Chancellor a Psychopath?" Was the near hiss, his voice quiet as if he didn't want anyone to overhear them. Liera flinched as the pressure became stronger.

"I'm sorry that I've upset you. But you need to calm down if you want to talk to me." The pressure bore down even more and she felt her chest constrict. Anakin was projecting anger and how-dare-you-tell-me-to-calm-down into the force. "Because if you can't calm down we won't be talking at all! I'll be unconscious." She warned him. Slowly the pressure lessened as he stepped down the hall a ways and started breathing deeply. Once he'd collected himself he turned back to her.

"What did you mean?" He asked again.

"Do you know what a psychopath is?" He frowned and she doubted he knew, in detail, what made someone a psychopath.

"No." He ground out.

"A psychopath is someone with the inability to empathize with others, someone who shows little or no remorse for their actions, and is egotistical, sometimes borderline narcissistic in nature. A sociopath refers to someone who has the inability to care for others due to social, environmental, or early developmental reasons. One can be aided with therapy, one cannot." He stood there staring at her as she explained then glared at the ground.

"That doesn't sound like the Chancellor at all! He's been my friend since I was nine and he's never been anything other than kind. He wants what's best for the Republic." Liera stood there, gobsmacked. Anakin had been around a psychopath for years and had believed the man was his friend since he was nine? Who in their right mind had allowed him to associate with an unrelated elder man, a politician no less!

"Can I… ask you a couple questions? It might clear up a… misunderstanding."

"Fine."

"The Chancellor… he's always been kind to you?" A nod. "Have you spent time alone with him? Just to talk or ask for advice?" Another nod. "Does he give you lots of compliments or praise for your accomplishments?" A curious look but another nod. "Does he talk about how the people around you don't understand you, how you are so much better than they think you are? How they don't deserve you?" His brows snapped together in a scowl but he nodded again.

A terrible revelation was forming in her mind and she felt sick to her stomach. How had the jedi failed this young man so terribly? This kind of behavior was so blatant that it was terrifying how easily he'd gotten away with it for so long.

"Why? Why does any of that matter?" His fists were clenched tight and she could still feel his rage which was bolstered by his confusion.

"It's… isolating behavior. He's trying to gain your trust and put a wedge between you and the ones who care about you. So you'll focus on him, depend on him. It's… it's not normal, Anakin. If he was as kind as you say why would he put down the Order when you clearly care about people here? Why would he try to turn you against Obi-wan? That man cares about you as if you were his own flesh and blood. You're his brother and he loves you!" There was a sensation of shock so strong in the force that it made her head ache and her body tremble.

"That's not… but he… Obi-wan… he really?" She thought she could almost follow the random thoughts the poor man was barely getting past his lips as his mind struggled to catch up to everything she'd said. She couldn't help him with the revelations about the Chancellor. She would have to notify the Chief Healer that Anakin required at least some therapy. His tumultuous emotions in the force were bordering on darkness and it was frightening.

"Obi-wan loves you like family." Anakin shook his head emphatically.

"Then why did he never say anything!" The pressure was returning and she had to take a few steps away from him.

"I don't know. But he's… he's got his own problems, Anakin. If you want the answer to that question you'll have to ask him yourself." The force around him was still building her breathing was becoming labored as the air around them grew thick.

"Anakin… I can't… can't breathe!" She gasped out, her knees buckling. She landed on the ground with a hard thump, arms going out to catch herself. Shock, fear, what-have-I-done, and guilt spilled into the force. He wasn't letting the emotions go, he wasn't using them. He was bottling them up and one day they were going to explode.

The last thing she saw was worried sky blue eyes before she lost consciousness.

* * *

She woke in the Halls of Healing a short time later. Sitting in her room, murmuring softly, was Ob-wan with a very contrite looking Anakin, who was staring worriedly down at his hands. If this was going to be what it was like any time Anakin got upset she worried she would be unable to stay with the 501st. Sitting up she reached for the pitcher of water next to her bed. The noise and her awakened presence must have alerted the two that she was awake. Immediately Anakin jumped up and took the pitcher, pouring her a glass of water and handing it to her. She gave him a small smile of thanks and drank the whole glass. The fact that she had accepted the water seemed to ease something in the young man, though he still felt troubled to her senses.

"How long was I out?" Obi-wan stood and crossed the room to stand next to the fussing knight.

"Only about an hour. The Healers say it was acute stress which resulted in a severe panic attack." He side-eyed Anakin and the man hunched his shoulders, looking guilty. Liera nodded.

"I'm so sorry!" Anakin suddenly blurted, his face coloring slightly when both of them looked at him.

"I… understand that someone with your strength in the force might find it hard to contain it at all times, and to ask you to do that for me might sound selfish, but I'm not the only one sensitive to such things. I can tell you care about people. And before you say anything; no. Caring for people is not wrong and I refuse to believe it is. If the jedi didn't care about anyone then why do we always try to come to a peaceful conclusion that will help the most people in any conflict? We can lift things with our minds, augment our bodies, and force our wills on others. If we truly didn't care… well there are easier ways to deal with conflict other than talking it out, aren't there?" Obi-wan was giving her a deeply thoughtful and complicated look. She could tell he was scrutinizing everything she was saying and probably disagreed with some of it. But Anakin… he was listening with rapt attention.

"Caring doesn't make us wrong or failures as jedi. It's when we try to force our will on others, to keep them close, to protect them, all because we don't want to lose them- that is when caring turns into something dark. 'It's for your own good' doesn't sound that bad at first but it can easily turn into something abusive." Anakin flinched and she could see Obi-wan looking at him intently, clearly concerned.

"Did Obi-wan tell you what happened during the council meeting?" Anakin blinked at her in surprise, not expecting the sudden topic change.

"Uh… no. Should he have?" He looked over at Obi-wan questioningly.

"It was for Liera to tell you. I didn't want to impose." The man said easily.

"Oh."

Liera chuckled at the blank look on the young knight's face. "The council cleared me of any wrongdoing. They asked me if I wanted to join the Order again but I said no. I've been away from the Order for four years and I enjoy my independence." She was surprised to find it was the truth. She liked going where she wanted and helping whoever she could. The only downside before was that she was being endlessly hunted. Now that there was no threat she felt a lot lighter than before. "Master Yoda, who I still can't believe is alive because he has to be ancient now," Anakin snickered and Obi-wan rolled his eyes, "asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to help. Not as a jedi, but as a healer. They granted me an old rank that I don't think has existed for thousands of years, Adept. It gives me the same access as a Knight but I would have the same military rank as Medical Chief Officer Marrow. I wanted to ask you, Knight Skywalker, if I could remain attached to the 501st as a Healer Adept. I might leave now and then to continue my work healing the clones, but I would be honored to call the 501st home."

Anakin stared at her, absolutely speechless. She could sense his confusion and guilt, his apprehension and lack of understanding.

"Anakin." She said softly. "You can't help how strong you are in the force as much as I can't help how sensitive I am. But I don't hold it against you." Especially not after she'd learned of the Chancellor's manipulations. Once Anakin was gone she'd have to ask Obi-wan some very pointed questions and get to the truth of the matter. The young knight needed therapy and help cutting ties with the Chancellor.

"If you want to stay with the 501st, then you're more than welcome. The clo- the_ men_ like you a lot and already trust you. Besides, Ahsoka's been pestering me to learn Jar'Kai, she still wants to have a training spar with you and you can't do that if you're not there." His smile was just this side of cheeky but there was genuine happiness there. She smiled back.

"As long as she isn't expecting me to be a blademaster. My talents lie elsewhere." Her dry delivery got a snicker from Anakin and a chuckle from Obi-wan.

"Do you mind going to find me whichever healer is assigned to me, Anakin? I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to." The knight grinned at her and left the room. Liera turned her attention to Obi-wan.

"He needs to see a Mind Healer, as soon as possible." She let her voice drop slightly so it didn't carry. Obi-wan grew still.

"What happened? He had a hard time speaking with me about how you'd fallen unconscious, although he admitted to me that it was his fault for letting his shields slip." Obi-wan sounded concerned. For her and Anakin both.

"The Chancellor. You let a child visit with an elder man who showed an unusual amount of interest in him, alone. From what I was able to gather from Anakin that psychopath has been trying to isolate him away from the Order. Giving him compliments, telling him the jedi don't deserve him, that only he understood him. What does that sound like to you?" The man's face went ashen and he leaned forward, as if losing strength. Placing his hands on the bed he hang his head and mumbled under his breath. Liera was impressed. She knew maybe a sixth of what those words meant yet she could tell that every one of them was a heartfelt curse.

"What I want to know is how no one noticed this?" Obi-wan looked pained, his grey-blue eyes sad.

"My Master, Qui-gon Jinn, was supposed to train him. But he died on the mission that earned me my Knighthood. With his dying breath he asked me to train Anakin. I could not deny his last request." Liera didn't even need to use her sight to see how much those memories hurt. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm, sending a wave of comfort-closeness-serenity. The man let out a shaky breath and smiled at her before pulling away gently.

"Thank you." She nodded, waiting for him to continue.

[Anakin]

He asked around for the healer assigned to Adept Liera, that was going to take some getting used to, but he couldn't find her. Apparently she'd gone on her lunch break. One of the other healers said someone would be by soon. He thanked them and hurried back to Liera's room. Even though she said she didn't blame him he still felt a little guilty.

Coming up to the door of the room he heard Obi-wan say his name and stopped. Were they talking about him? He pulled his shields tighter and listened.

"Anakin was nine when he was found, the Council didn't want to let me train him but I insisted it was Qui-gon's dying wish. I swore I would make Anakin into a great jedi." His former master stopped for a breath. "There have been a few bumps on the road but I am… proud of who Anakin has become. I've watched him grow from a scared boy to a confident knight. Someone I am happy to have helped raiseinto the man he is now. A man I am honored to fight beside." Something on his face made him brush the back of his hand against his cheek. It was tears.

"You love him." Liera said lightly, almost teasingly. He could practically see his master's, no, his _brother's_ eyeroll through the wall.

"He's… I… Yes. Yes I do. Not really any use keeping that from you, is there? You've probably seen how much I care already. Anakin… is like a brother to me." He felt his throat constrict. Obi-wan was admitting that he loved him.

Liera laughed. "Yes. You might act like a prim jedi but there's no mistaking the way you angle yourself toward him when talking, showing how much you trust him. You stand so protectively near him, always being sure to be between him and things you consider threatening. Even without those things all I need to do is look at your eyes. You have good control over your expressions but your eyes are very expressive to anyone who knows where to look."

The more Anakin thought about it the more he realized he rarely looked Obi-wan directly in the eyes. He always looked just above them or between them. It had taken him a long time to learn he was allowed to look up from the ground. To look people in the eyes without expecting to get in trouble for it. Slaves did not look their masters in the eyes.

Anakin had been so wrong about Obi-wan. The man that raised him, regardless of what anyone else thought about it. Someone who loved him like family. This revelation threw everything he thought he knew out the window.

"You have a problem letting people go once you start to care about them, don't you?" Wait…Obi-wan had attachment issues? So why was he always getting after Anakin for them?

_'If you want the answer to that question you'll have to ask him yourself.'_ Liera's words echoed in his mind. He had to talk to Obi-wan, and soon.

"Knight Skywalker." Anakin jumped and turned to see Master Allie standing there, looking faintly amused.

"Master Allie, what are you doing here?" He winced when he realized hos rude he'd sounded. The Tholotian didn't seem to mind however.

"I heard that Healer Liera had collapsed and came to see if she was alright. We were supposed to talk about healing techniques." He flushed slightly.

"She's in there. I just… she and Master Kenobi looked like they were having a private conversation. I didn't want to… intrude. I was, uh, waiting for a healer to come and release her." Anakin could tell she knew he was lying, but she didn't call him on it.

"Thank you. I'll see to it myself." Anakin nodded and followed her in. Liera saw them and smiled before her expression became slightly concerned. Suddenly he remembered that he'd been crying and wiped his face. Obi-wan nodded to Liera and moved out of Master Allie's way, gently taking his arm and leading him outside.

"Anakin, what happened?" Looking into the man's eyes for the first time in a long time, unclouded by anger, he could see the tight concern and love the man kept locked up behind his N_egotiator_ facade. Reaching out he wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him.

"I love you too, Obi-wan. You're my brother, and I love you." The man stiffened for a moment before he seemed to sag slightly. Obi-wan's arms wrapped around him and he leaned into the warmth of the hug.

"We are an absolutely hopeless pair, aren't we?" Anakin laughed and let go.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He said with a wide grin, which only grew wider when his brother scoffed, rolling his expressive eyes.


	12. Shuttle Rides and Day Trips

[Rex]

Standing by the shuttle with the rest of Jaig Squad from Torrent Company, named because of the Captain's distinctive Jaig Eyes painted on his helmet, they waited for the General and Miss Liera. Consisting of Rex as Captain, ARC Jesse, Troopers Fives and Echo, Medic Kix, and their Heavy Gunners Hevy and Hardcase. General Skywalker had given him carte blanche when it came to the members within his squad but he'd yet to pick their final two. Whoever he chose had to be extremely competent and able to put up with Anakin's crazy plans and reckless movements. While Fives, Echo, and Hevy were still fairly new to the 501st he had seen their dedication, creativity, and tenacity first hand on the Rishi Station. He'd tapped them earlier for his squad and was considering sending them for further training.

The General entered the hangar and the men stood straighter in response. Next to him, sticking close, was their Healer. Anakin gave them a nod and eagerly boarded the shuttle. At the bottom of the ramp he watched Liera hesitate for a moment before going inside to sit down. With all pre-flight checks finished and the three passengers secured the rest of them piled in. It was only a short flight.

He knew something was wrong almost immediately. Normally their Healer was excited to meet new _vode_. But instead of going to introduce herself to the pilots she had taken a seat in the far corner and shrunk in on herself. Her arms were hugging her body as if she were trying to keep herself together and her eyes were closed tight. He could see the rise and fall of her chest in a steady rhythm. Was she trying to meditate? Was she nervous about meeting with the Jedi Council? Rex knew the _vode_ were worried about what was going to happen to her but he highly doubted she would be executed. She didn't feel dark and she would be too useful to the war effort, as much as it pained him to think like that.

After the shuttle took off he could feel the anxious shuffling from his squad. Even though she'd only met Kix and Jesse the _vode_ knew who she was instantly. Besides saving their _vode_ from death she was just a genuinely kind, energetic, and fun individual to be around. She liked them and they liked her. So when she started to curl in on herself as if she were terrified he could feel the concern of the _vode_ spike.

"Liera? Are you alright?" General Kenobi asked her gently. She opened her eyes and looked between the two Generals. The smile she gave them was not reassuring in the least.

"No. No, I'm not. But it's okay, I'll be fine once we land." Rex's eyebrows rose in surprise. General Kenobi's expression softened and he gave her a sympathetic look. But Anakin… Rex sighed. His General was a competent leader and a great jedi but he'd never been particularly observant. Especially when it came to others feelings. Liera seemed to understand this as well since she continued to speak. "I don't like flying. I can do it if I have to, but not being in control of the ship scares me." His General blinked at her with a blank expression and Rex wanted to sigh again.

Seeing her reaction to being on the ship reminded him of something… it finally clicked. Back when he had taken her on a tour of the Resolute she had seemed anxious and agitated once they entered the hangar. If she was scared of flying she probably didn't like being in the one place filled with shuttles and fighter craft. That was one mystery solved.

"But… you use Ataru." Anakin was giving off this feeling of concerned confusion and Rex could kind of understand why. His General was born to fly. He probably couldn't understand anyone being afraid of it. While General Kenobi didn't necessarily like to fly he wasn't necessarily afraid of it, unless it was Anakin piloting.

"Ataru and flying are not the same. I'm not afraid of heights, Skywalker. I'm afraid of the possible loss of control." Rex frowned. That was an interesting way to look at it. "We are putting our lives in the metaphorical hands of a machine. Something that cannot be reasoned with. If it suddenly breaks," her voice wavered and she had to clear her throat before continuing, "then we will all fall. With the possibility of tons of metal falling onto our heads and crushing us." Rex felt grim understanding from his squad. They all knew what could happen when a ship crashed. They'd seen it first hand.

The Generals looked at her as if they didn't quite understand. "I have never been very good at telekinesis…" She explained, nibbling her bottom lip nervously. Rex could see how that would make her nervous. Anakin could lift and throw tons of metal easily. But if she couldn't and the roof caved in there was no way for her to stop it.

_'If something happens I'll use the force to…'_ Rex felt a jolt of surprise run through him. He wanted to reassure her that he would protect her if they started to crash but doing so would reveal the fact that he was force sensitive. While she already knew that, the Generals Skywalker and Kenobi didn't. It would give him, and the other force sensitive vode away.

"Well, we're almost there. We will be touching down soon. We'll give you a minute to get your bearings once we land." She gave General Kenobi a grateful smile and closed her eyes again.

They landed on Coruscant with no issues. Both generals waited next to her as Liera took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. Once she was ready the three of them exited the shuttle. Rex wished he and the squad could join them but he had other duties to attend to.

As he watched them walk down the ramp, waiting to close the door, he saw Chancellor Palpatine smile and welcome them back. Bile rose in the back of his throat and he tugged hard on his shields. _'I am so small that I do not exist.'_ He repeated the mantra for a moment until he was certain the _dar'jetii_ couldn't sense him. Although he probably shouldn't have bothered. With Anakin standing right there the man didn't even give the rest of them a single glance. They were just meat droids to him, far beneath his prestigious notice.

"Liera?" General Kenobi's voice caught his attention. He saw the man put a gentle hand on the healer's shoulder. She'd stopped dead in her tracks just before the end of the ramp. "We were introducing you to the Chancellor." She nodded but it was stiff, defensive.

_'Oh Stars, she can see it!'_ Rex felt his stomach twist into knots. None of the _vode_ trusted the Chancellor. Especially not the force sensitives. Their _Buir_ had a deep seated hatred for the _demagolka hut'uun._

"My apologies, Chancellor. I did not mean to be rude." Palpatine smiled at her and it set Rex's teeth on edge.

"No apologies necessary. I can see you are overwhelmed. Knight Skywalker here was just telling me that you are a healer and have been a great help keeping his men alive. You have my gratitude." Rex didn't believe that for a stars cursed minute.

"Please, there is no need for thanks. It is an honor." Although he knew that Liera truly meant what she said, she avoided gratitude like General Kenobi avoided the med bay, he could tell she was shaken. When the Generals began talking to the Chancellor again he saw Kenobi gently lead her off the ramp. Once they were finally on the platform she shifted so that the bulk of the General was in front of her, hiding from the _dar'jetii._

Closing the ramp he felt the shuttle lift off again and let out the breath he'd been holding. Kix tapped his elbow, helmet canted to the side and giving off concern-confusion. _"Naas."_ He murmured. Kix gave him a scrutinizing look from behind his helmet but eventually let it go.

They arrived at the GAR Barracks a few minutes later.

[Haati]

It was early in the morning, almost ungodly so. The sun had yet to rise but he was no stranger to getting up before dawn.

Carefully shifting the tabbard at his waist he took another look at himself in the fresher mirror to ensure that everything was sitting correctly. It had been a long time since he'd had to wear jedi robes and he was a bit surprised he remembered how to layer them properly. Tying back his hair into a low ponytail he looked himself in the eyes and had to wonder. If he and his master hadn't gone on that fateful mission would this be what he looked like as a jedi knight? Honestly he could not see the appeal. Then again, the _jetti_ didn't really have a choice, now did they? Taken when they were too young to protest, too young to choose, and raised to believe that everything they were taught was a-okay.

He could have ended up like that.

Shoving those thoughts away he twisted his body this way and that, trying to see if anything came loose. When he was certain that the basic body armor he was wearing wouldn't be seen beneath the bulky _jetti_ robes and cloak he headed out of the fresher. Glancing over at the two commandos on watch he grinned when they finally noticed him. "How do I look, boys?" Boss gave him a quick once over and shrugged before looking away again, while Darman took a moment to contemplate him.

"Like a General." He finally said.

"You commando boys." Haati chuckled at the both of them as he pulled up the hood of his cloak. "I'm heading out. Hit up my comm if things go pear shaped." He waved good-bye to them as he headed downstairs, already knowing the bar would be empty. He would never hear the end of it if he was spotted wearing _jetii_ robes around Kal's operational house. If Qibbu wasn't a Hutt he could have just shrouded himself with the force but the fat cowards were all resistant to it.

Hopping into his speeder he obscured his presence before racing through the busy skies of Coruscant, being sure to take as many twists, turns, and roundabout routes as possible. Just in case. He didn't want anyone following him, after all.

Sending an authorization code he'd asked Ordo to get for him he waited for the all clear before setting his speeder down on the landing pad of the GAR barracks. A couple of on duty guards stepped forward to meet him as he made his way to the main entrance into the compound.

"Name and identification number?" One of them demanded, hands tightening on his weapon as he tried to see into the hood. Haati slowly reached up and pushed the hood back, smirking as both men straightened in surprise. There was not one clone that shouldn't know him by sight.

_"Buir Rid'alor."_ The second guard breathed, voice low as if he was afraid someone would overhear him. Haati snorted, amused by their reaction to him. It didn't surprise him they were still calling him what was effectively _Queen Mother_ in Basic. Cheeky _ad'ike_ had learned a little too much from their trainers back on Kamino.

"I heard that Winter Squad was in house and wanted to pay a visit. Are you going to let me in?" The two of them didn't move but he could tell they were glancing at each other and speaking over comms as they contemplated his request. You didn't spend the majority of your life around people clad in _beskar'gam_ without learning to read the smallest of movements. He waited patiently for them to finish their discussion. There was a very real chance they wouldn't let him in. After all, he wasn't part of their chain of command nor was he an actual _jetti._ He was, however, someone they definitely wanted to obey. If only because of his status with the Mandalorians and his role on Kamino.

"We'll let you in, _buir._ Just try not to cause any trouble." Reaching up he clapped the both of them on the shoulder, an easy smile on his face.

"I wouldn't dare cause trouble." He said with a small smile. "The Winter boys however…" He shook his head. There was a high possibility that things might get a little out of hand later if he wasn't careful. When his boys got excited things tended to get broken.

Walking through the compound he nodded or waved at those he passed, amused when one trooper stopped to gawk at him and was almost bowled over by the man behind him. Knowing there was a fight brewing he quickly intervened. "None of that, now." They stopped, looking sheepish. "I'm looking for Winter Squad, do you know where they are?" Both men stared at him for a moment before snickering and pointing him in the direction of their quarters. He thanked them and went on his merry way.

When he came closer to Winter Squad's quarters he pulled his presence inward until he was all but invisible. He wanted to see how well they'd kept up their training since the last time he'd seen them.

_"I'm telling you, Ciri, I can feel something's here."_ Coming up to the door to their shared quarters he listened carefully.

"What have I said about calling me Ciri while we're on Triple Zero?" Was the annoyed response.

_"Fine then, _Snowy_, but it doesn't change the fact that something's off here."_ There was a long, disgruntled, sigh and Haati had to hold back a snicker.

The feeling of something cold against his neck made him freeze, a slow grin crossing his face. Not moving a muscle he slowly let is presence be known.

_"Well done, Shev'la."_ He said proudly. The knife retracted and he was able to turn his head to look up at the silent commando. There was a faint feeling of accomplishment and amusement in the force around them for a moment before the door opened and someone popped their head out.

_"Buir! What are you doing here?"_ He smiled at the Mando'a. Greene would never speak Basic again if given half a chance.

"Why? To see my ad'ike, of course!" Motioning the man back into the room he entered with Shev'la practically melding with his shadow.

He looked over Winter Squad and felt relieved. All of his boys looked healthy enough. Snow was just as grumpy as ever, Greene was practically bouncing with excitement, Silver was looking at him as if he were a puzzle that needed solving, and Shev'la was giving off affection-longing-protection vibes in the force. With a laugh he turned and gave the quiet man a hug, feeling acceptance-joy in return. Turning back to the others he opened his arms and Greene raced forward for the second hug, beaming. Silver slid off his bunk, putting his datapad down, and gave him a quick hug as well before looking over at Snow. The leader of their squad stood there, arms crossed and expression thunderous. In the end he finally caved and gave Haati a quick side hug, face tinged red in embarrassment. The poor boy never could admit that he was the one who wanted hugs the most.

_"What's new with Boba and Buir?"_ Haati smiled at Greene's concern and switched to Mando'a in response to his question.

_"Boba and your father are both doing fine. Your vod'ika is learning more advanced hand to hand and I've been teaching him intermediate hiding techniques."_ Glancing around the room he grinned._ "The jetii they sent as an overseer is starting to be a thorn in our side. If she's not careful some of your Ba'vodue are going to stage a coup; and Jango will help them!"_ Near feral grins crossed his boy's faces, even Silver's, as they thought about the implications.

_"Buir, we have some good news! It's been going around the barracks but the vode are trying to keep it quiet from the natural-borns. That healer you've been looking into is here on Coruscant."_ Haati couldn't help smiling.

_"Excellent! I really want to talk to her. So does your Uncle Kal."_ The looks his boys gave each other were so obvious he wanted to laugh at them. He knew that they didn't necessarily dislike Kal, but wherever Kal went there was almost always a Null class ARC hanging around. The six Null boys were very protective of their father and didn't have the same connection with the vode that the others had. Not to mention they were maelstroms in the force. Even if they weren't able to access it consciously. It was like looking at Jango through the force. The force absolutely adored him even if he couldn't interact with it. It gave him some of the most impressive mental shields Haati had ever seen and an almost sixth sense for when someone was a force user but there was no way in _haran_ he could actually use the force.

_"If this healer really can sop the accelerated aging then we'll want her on our side. So if you see her you play nice. Especially you."_ He pointed at Greene, whose wide smile had returned with a vengeance.

_"I don't think you have to worry about that, Buir. Kot'ika and Rex'ika like her already and they're great at telling who's trustworthy and who isn't."_ Silver nodded toward Shev'la who nodded, giving off trust-affection-safety.

_"Kote and Rex are here?"_ His boys nodded.

_"As well as Wolf'ika and Pon'ika."_ A bright smile lit his face. So many of his boys in the same place at the same time! The Force sure liked to work in mysterious ways.

_"Well then, let's go find your vod'ike, shall we?"_ Haati hadn't seen any of his boys besides Boba in so long. He wanted to see them in person.

_"I know Shev'la and Greene are going, but what about you Snow? Silver?"_ Snow let out a disgruntled sigh, which meant he was coming along. Snow would never admit it but he was actually quite clingy. Silver took a moment to think it over before he quietly nodded.

_"Lead the way!"_ He said with a chuckle.

[Liera]

Waking in the morning to actual sunlight coming in through a small window she sighed. It was a mixed bag of blessings and curses to be back in the temple. The scents and sounds were so familiar, even after all this time. Incense, clean linens, handmade soaps and oils. Soft shoes on stone, giggling younglings, lightsabers clashing, and the quiet murmurs of the thousands of residents. Even in a time of war some things remained the same.

Getting out of bed she changed out of her simple nightdress and into pale cream tights, a breastband, a white undershirt, and a soft fawn over-tunic. It was simple, comfortable, and although it was a little too much like the usual jedi style it would serve her well. Clipping her belt to her waist she brushed her fingers gently against her twin lightsabers, feeling a pulse-hum of acceptance-joy-affection echo back. In the fresher she quickly braided her long hair and pinned it in place. Turning her head she tested to see if it would come loose and was satisfied when it didn't budge an inch. Making sure the comm she'd been given was on her belt, and turned on, she headed to the cafeteria she remembered from her days as an Initiate then Padawan.

Her appearance in the halls and the cafeteria gained her many curious stares and polite nods. She smiled and gave polite nods back. So many vibrant spirits in a myriad of colors. But none of them were familiar to her. Grief filled her heart as she thought of the people she would never see again. It ached to not sense Phali-tho, Arychs, Chrys, Toriik, Jobin, or Lou'lai. They had been her crechemates, practically her siblings they were so close. At least they weren't in the middle of a terrible war between the jedi, with a slave army, and a group of terrorists sending millions of unfeeling machines to conquer or destroy every planet they came across. Stopping those thoughts she set them aside for her to pick through later during her nightly meditation and grabs a tray.

After a quick meal she comms Kenobi, expecting him to be awake.

"Good morning." She smiles at the almost cheery greeting.

"Good morning. I just wanted to tell you my plans for today. I'm supposed to let someone know when I'm leaving the temple. Who better to tell than a Council Member?" She has to bite her lip to keep back the giggles threatening to spill from her mouth as Kenobi sighs on the other end of the call.

"Hmm, I knew that would come back to bite me eventually. Very well." His dry delivery makes her laugh.

"I was planning to visit the GAR Barracks first, to tell the 501st in person what the council have decided. Afterward I might visit a few places I found on he holonet. They were around when I was here last and I'm wondering how much they've changed." There is a thoughtful sound on the other end.

"What kinds of places?"

"The museum, the library, some of the historical monuments. Maybe one of the large gardens. Nowhere dangerous or sketchy." Kenobi laughs.

"Alright. Make sure you return before dinner." Liera snorts.

"Yes,_ dad._" Kenobi makes a choking sound and she snickers as she ends the call. She briefly wonders how no one notices how expressive the jedi master is. Maybe it's not just her and everyone either ignores it or secretly laughs about it when they're alone.

She doesn't have her own speeder but there are regular shuttles that go between the GAR compound and the temple. Swallowing her nerves down she asks one of the service crew how she'd go about finding which shuttle would be landing closest to the GAR Barracks. The man blinks at her for a moment, makes a couple hand motions to another service crew member, then motions for her to follow him.

He led her to a shuttle heading directly to the Barracks and she thanks him with a bright smile of gratitude. The man gives her a shy smile in return before he goes back to work. The shuttle is nearly packed with troops. They notice her lightsabers immediately and one of them insists on giving up his seat. She would have protested if she wasn't so damn thankful to not have to stand in the moving shuttle. She can feel their surprise in the force when she thanks the man with a sincere, if slightly wavering, smile.

"Are you alright General?" She holds back a sigh. Until more of the men knew about her she was going to be called General a lot.

"It's Adept, not General. If it helps, I have the same rank as a Chief Medical Officer. And I'm fine. Thank you for your concern…" She blinks up at the soldier in the white and maroon armor.

The man watched her quietly for a moment, she could practically hear him thinking. "Ponds, Miss. Commander Ponds of the 91st Reconnaissance Corps, under High Jedi General Windu." Unfortunately she didn't know who that was. The only people she knew from the temple were Kenobi, Skywalker, Tano, Master Yoda, and Master Allie. But at least she new the commander's name now.

"Thank you, Commander Ponds. I want to assure you that there is nothing physically wrong with me. I am just a little… uncomfortable… with flying." The men around her grew even more curious but didn't speak.

"I see." Was all Ponds said before leaving her to her own thoughts.

When the shuttle finally landed it took her a moment to stand and get off the flying death trap. When her feet were squarely on the platform she used the same breathing technique she'd taught Kenobi. Once she'd calmed down and felt less shaky she headed toward the entrance of the barracks.

The compound itself was enormous. But then it would have to be to house so many people. Standing at the end of the line of troops waiting to be allowed inside she noted that they all took off their helmets. It must have been a security measure. Once all the troops had passed whatever security check was required she stepped forward to speak with the guards.

"Name and Identification number?" She hesitated.

"My name is Liera Buraaisuh, Healer Adept. I was only assigned this rank yesterday so I'm afraid I don't know my identification number. But if you contact Generals Kenobi or Skywalker I'm certain they can vouch for me." The two men stiffened slightly and she could tell they were speaking to each other, though she couldn't hear what was being said.

"If you'll hand over your comm we'll see what we can do." Unclipping it from her belt she held it out for the guard to take. He plugged something into it and tapped away on a small keyboard on his vambrace. Liera was fascinated. It must have been nice to have a computer or scanner right at your fingertips. "Five-oh-one, dash, three thirteen fifteen, dash, ten four nine, dash, twelve two." He stared down at the numbers for a moment before unhooking her comm and handing it back. "Welcome to the GAR, Miss. Do you need directions?"

Taking back the comm unit she clipped it to her belt and smiled. She'd have to commit the strange sequence of numbers to memory before she forgot. "I would appreciate it. I'm looking for Captain Rex from the 501st Attack Battalion." The guard nodded and tapped his wrist communicator. While he was speaking she stepped off to the side a moment and focused on the numbers. Using the force she committed the sequence to memory, making sure it wouldn't slip her mind when she wasn't paying attention.

"Miss?" She looked over at the guard. "Someone will be here to show you around in a moment. Would you like to wait inside?"

"Yes, thank you." The guards let her pass and she entered the compound. What she hadn't seen from outside she could see now. The layout was well organized to maximize space. Everywhere she looked she could see men going about their well structured military lives. To be honest if she couldn't sense the feeling of community-safety-pride she would think this kind of life would be very lonely and confining.

"Miss Liera!" Looking up when her name was called she saw a figure in 501st blue jogging toward her and smiled, instantly recognizing the markings and the force signature.

"Good morning, Kix." She greeted when he got closer. He returned her smile easily with a feeling of joy-relief so strong that it made her blink in confusion.

"You were… worried about me?" Kix's brows rose before he let out a huff and gave her a look. She gave him one right back. It wasn't like she could just turn off her empathic abilities and he had been practically yelling.

"Of course we were. We don't know what the jedi do with their defectors, only what the GAR does…" There was a undercurrent of grief-anger-fear that she did not like. But before she could ask he was speaking again. "In any case," he gave her another smile, "the Captain sent me to bring you to our barracks. Everyone is eager to see you." She let the questions go for now, wanting to reassure the men she was alright.

As they walked through the compound she could feel curious eyes on her. When she caught someone staring she would just smile and nod at them politely. It didn't seem like they got a lot of visitors. Or at the very least not a lot of visitors wearing lightsabers.

Focusing on her eyes she looked at all the bright spirits around her and felt herself relaxing further. By the time they got to the 501st's barracks all her nerves from the shuttle ride had vanished. The building looked like all the other ones except for the letter-number combination on the door. Following Kix inside she looked around the spacious common room in approval. The moment the door opened a few of the men immediately zeroed in on her.

"Miss Liera!" Hearing multiple voices calling her at the same time she couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles.

"Hello everyone. I'm sorry I worried you all." There was a feeling of exasperation-relief-joy in the room. "At least I come bearing good news. But first," she turned to a group of five and looked at them quizzically. She'd met Jesse a couple of times in the medical bay, he was a close friend of Kix's, but she'd never met the other four. "I don't think we've ever met. I'm Liera Buraaisuh." They looked at her then each other.

"I'm Hevy." The first man to introduce himself was independent and protective. "Hardcase." The second one felt aggressive and energetic. "Fives." The third nodded at her with a grin, feeling eager and playful. "I'm Echo, Miss. It's a pleasure to meet you." The last gave her a polite but hesitant smile. He felt a little shy but inquisitive.

"It's nice to meet you too, Echo, Fives, Hardcase, and Hevy." She looked at each of them, eyes faintly glowing, and committed their names and force signatures to memory. Hardcase looked a little unnerved but Echo seemed fascinated. She let go of the force and her eyes returned to normal.

"You said you had news?" She nodded.

"Is everyone here? I don't want to repeat myself too much…" Frowning she glanced around. "Where's the Captain?"

Jesse was the one who replied. "His brothers came to get him for a quick chat. He should be back any time now."

"Miss, I'm curious. Can you really tell us apart by how we feel in the force?" Fives asked.

"Of course. I'm force sensitive and was raised to be a jedi. Besides you're all so different from each other in appearance it's easy for me to tell you apart anyway." Someone scoffed skeptically, she was fairly sure it was Hevy.

"We all share the same face, how is that different?" Liera tilted her head slightly, looking at Hardcase.

"Maybe it's because of how my species sees others. Or maybe it's because I know what it's like to share a face with someone." The room went dead quiet, shock-confusion-curiosity following in the wake of her statement.

"Wait, what!? Are you a clone too?" She raised her hands and motioned them to calm down. Really, she should have known what their reaction would be to that kind of statement.

"No, I'm not a clone. I have an elder twin sister." At least… she used to. A pang of loss shot through her. She'd only met _Chaaif_ Hiena Faashailih after becoming a padawan but they had felt the connection to one another immediately. Twin bonds were some of the most powerful to their people. It had been a nasty shock for her. No one had ever mentioned that she was a twin so seeing someone else with her face had been startling. Doubly so because it felt like the other woman's spirit was a negative reflection of her own, the same yet different.

"Is she a jedi too?" She shook her head.

"No. To my birth people twins are a blessing and are considered good luck, especially when born to the _Shiihamaahn_, the spiritual leader. The only exception is when they are born to a_ Chaaif._ The Chieftain or Chieftess of a tribe. It's a bad omen, a warning that the tribe is going to be split apart or broken in some way. Normally the second born is killed immediately." There was a faint gasp of horror somewhere behind her but she ignored it. "The only reason I was spared is because our father was the current _Chaaif_ and our mother the current _Shiihamaahn_. No one knew what to do. Were we an ill omen or a blessing? The arguments went on for months. Then the jedi arrived."

It had been a navigational accident, according to records. The nav-computer had glitched and input the wrong coordinates. If they hadn't arrived when they did she would have been killed to satisfy the old traditions. "The jedi offered to take me far away and raise me as their own. That way the tribe would have kin-ties to the jedi and the tribe would be safe from any possible calamity." It was what had earned her the name Buraaisuh- Far Skies. She was never expected to be seen again. The only reason she wasn't killed for setting foot back on her home planetoid was because she was a jedi, who were not allowed to marry or have attachments to family.

"What would have happened if you weren't the daughter of the Chieftain?" Echo asked, fascinated by the story.

"If we were only daughters of the S_hiihamaahn_ then one of us would learn to be a spiritual leader and the other would learn to be an herbalist and healer. We would have been raised as if we were one person, not two, and expected to marry the same man when we came of age." She'd met her sister's husband and as much as he seemed like a pleasant person to be around she could never see herself marrying someone like him.

"Why would you have to marry the same person?" The question made her sigh internally.

"Why would someone have to marry what now?" Thankfully she was saved from having to answer as Rex walked in through the door, looking confused and a little disturbed.

She gave him a welcoming smile. "Captain! We were waiting for you." He returned her smile with one of his own.

"So I heard. I was told you have good news?" He crossed his arms, brow raised.

"Mhm. First, the Jedi Council has found no fault with me, I'm not in trouble." There were a lot of relieved smiles. "Second, although I refused to re-join the Order I've been allowed to continue to work with them. I was given the title of Adept, specifically Healer Adept." She noticed the confused looks and could relate, she hadn't known it was a thing either. "It grants me the same military rank as a Chief Medical Officer and a Jedi Knight's access to the Temple archives." Although she couldn't take a padawan or lead anyone into battle. "The third, and final, piece of news is that I have been assigned to a Battalion." The strong feeling of surprise-protect-don't-leave suddenly projected into force almost made her dizzy. She held up her hand to stall them. "You're looking at the newest member of the 501st Attack Battalion. I asked General Skywalker and he allowed me to stay." A cheer went up around her and she chuckled.

"You're going to need some armor _vod'ika._ We get into a lot of trouble in the 501st." Kix said, tone amused. Turning to look at him she tilted her head.

"Vod'ika?" Kix's face flushed slightly. He looked to Jesse and Rex, eyes begging them to help explain.

"It means 'younger sibling' in _Mando'a_. In this case, little sister." A voice that was unlike the clones cut through the chatter. It was jaunty and light, higher pitched than the others. Standing in the doorway to the room was a complete stranger. His hair was white, skin pale, and eyes mismatched in color. Even without 'seeing' him she could tell he was force sensitive. He came into the room as if he had every right to be there and the men around her accepted his presence easily. There was a sense of affection, trust, and camaraderie aimed at the newcomer. Behind him was a group of four men, clones, though their armor was unpainted and a different design from those in the 501st.

"_Mando'a_… you mean the language of Mandalore?" There was a sense of pleased surprise around her.

"You're even more interesting than I'd been led to believe." As he came closer she realized he was only a couple inches taller than her. After being around people who towered over her for so long it was nice to look someone in the eyes without having to crane her neck.

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not." She joked. His lips quirked upward with mirth but his eyes were piercing, calculating and wary.

"What do you know of Mandalore?" He asked. A tingle in the back of her mind made her stiffen slightly. This felt like some sort of test.

"I know very little of Mandalore besides what we were taught in the Temple." She admits easily. "Although I have seen some Mandalorians on the battlefield before." She'd never tried to heal them though, her master had forbidden her. They were dangerous warriors who might hurt her, either by accident or out of anger.

_"Cuyir ibic gar jetii baar'ur, vod?"_ One of the men behind the force user asked, practically bouncing in place.

_"Elek,"_ Rex said, looking at the one who spoke, "and Kix is right, you're going to need some armor." Looking up at him she huffed.

"If I'm going to be in the field then of course I'll need armor. Although, jedi aren't really supposed to have armor to begin with. Technically it's forbidden." The room went silent. She looked around quizzically. "What? It's not like it's going to be an issue for me. I'm not a jedi anymore."

"Jedi aren't allowed to wear armor?" Jesse said, incredulity lacing his words.

"It's part of the agreement made during the Ruusan Reformation. Jedi aren't allowed to bear arms except for lightsabers, because they are a symbol of our faith as well as being a practical weapon. We are not allowed to wear armor, lead armies, or rule over other sentients. It also means we no longer hold a seat in the Senate. So we can't influence politics." Even the force user before her looked surprised.

"That explains a few things." Kix said dryly.

"This conversation is interesting and all, but none of you have introduced me to your lovely lady friend. I'm hurt." There was a small spike of alarm-embarrassment in the force around her.

"_Buir,_ this is Healer Liera. She'll be joining the 501st when we ship out. Liera, this is Haati Kurshi'cin, he's one of the head trainers on Kamino." There was a warmth in Rex's voice that made her smile.

"A pleasure to meet you, Haati Kurshi'cin." She gave him a polite bow. If these soldiers respected and loved this man as much as she could sense then he was someone who had earned it.

"It's nice to meet you too, Liera. I've heard a lot about you from Rex'ika and Kot'ika." Rex's face colored slightly.

_"Buir."_ He mumbled reproachfully.

"Behind me are Snow, Silver, Shev'la, and Greene. Say hello, boys." She smiled and nodded to each of them as they greeted her.

"Liera, I've been told that you can stop the accelerated aging in clones. Is this true?" Just like that the teasing tone was gone and replaced with the piercing gaze.

"I can, and I will. That was one of the reasons I came here today. While I'm on Coruscant I want to help as many people as I can." Haati stared at her for a long moment before a bright smile crossed his face. She could feel approval and joy radiating off him and echoed by the men.

"I knew I'd like you. Want to start with my boys? They need to get back." Chuckling she looked up at the group of four.

"Certainly. Who's first?" It was going to be a very busy day.

* * *

Mando'a Translations

Vode- Brothers/Sisters, comrades in arms. Plural of Vod.  
Buir- Non-gendered word for a parent.  
Demagolka- Someone who commits atrocities, a real-life monster, a war criminal.  
Dar'jetii- Evil force user, Darksider, Sith.  
Hut'uun- Coward.  
Naas- Nothing.  
Rid'alor- My own word for the Mand'alor's spouse. Combining Riduur, spouse/partner, and Alor, chief or ruler.  
Buir Rid'alor- 'Queen Mother' The translation into Basic is a joke based around the fact that Jango is the Mand'alor. Which translates to Sole Ruler or King in Basic. In a traditional Monarchy, as Jango's spouse, Haati would actually be considered a Prince Consort. But his love for the clones has the Cuy'val Dar calling him Mother to tease him, which the Clones overheard and took seriously.  
Ad'ike- Children  
Haran- Hell  
Ba'vodue- Uncles/Aunts, siblings of a parent.  
Vod'ike- Younger siblings.  
Cuyir ibic gar jetii baar'ur, vod- Is this your jedi medic, brother?  
Elek- Yes.


	13. For Peace of Mind

For the next three days Liera spent her early mornings in the temple archive, speaking with Madame Nu and tagging some old texts for study. Master Allie had asked her about her initiate studies and showed her the curriculum they used to teach future healers. Liera was surprised to find many things she had been taught were essential were no longer being offered at all. Not even as an elective or advanced class. It baffled her how much knowledge was being ignored or deemed insignificant. Especially when it came to mental health. The conversations she had with some of the healers, and later Master Allie, made it clear to her that entire schools of healing were being ignored outright because of new technology.

Searching around the temple areas she knew the Tholotian council member frequented she finally spied the woman speaking with a number of healers. "Master Allie." Catching the master between conversations was always difficult, since she was a very busy person, but she always seemed to make time specifically to speak with Liera. If she didn't know any better she'd have thought the council was pushing Master Allie to be their spokesperson.

"Adept Liera, it's good to see you." Taking one look at her the Tholotian's serene smile faltered slightly. "I suspect you have something important to tell me." Folding her hands into her sleeves she waited.

"I do." Liera let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand over the long braid she'd put her hair into for the day. "Master Allie, during my research I have found things that have me very concerned for the welfare of those in and outside of the temple." Of course she never spoke about the order itself, only about the people living within it. She had no desire to start political or religious debates as long as the jedi allowed her to follow her calling without interfering. They could argue that she wasn't following the will of the force until they turned blue in the face but the fact that the force, itself, had sent her to this time was all she needed to know she was following the right path.

"I was looking into the medical files of padawans and initiates for the past two centuries and have noticed a startling trend. There is a distinct lack of psychological data. Do the jedi no longer perform yearly psych evaluations?"

"Did we used to conduct yearly examinations?" Liera scowled at the smooth stone floor, crossing her arms over her chest.

"The jedi used to conduct psych evaluations for padawans after nearly every mission. Especially any that involved violence, death, abuse victims, or slavery. Diplomatic missions were exempt for the most part, since they were more about focusing on compromise and keeping the peace." Holding out the datapad she'd been using to keep notes she scrolled down to her references and held it out to Master Allie. "There seems to be some kind of ruling about three hundred or so years ago about the mental health of initiates and padawans being the purview of the student's master or the youngling's crechemaster." Stass took the datapad and looked over the case notes.

"It looks as if there were more changes to the order from this case than just the ones pertaining to mental health." The master jedi frowned.

"You're right. The council of the time ruled that in all matters of health it was up to the master or crechemaster to enforce trips to the healers for their charges." Liera scoffed. "All it would take is one overly stubborn master setting a bad example for their student or one inattentive crechemaster and an entire lineage could be compromised! There's no oversight, no one to make sure that the master isn't missing certain signs of trouble. Everyone reacts to trauma differently and sometimes the reaction is delayed, by months and in some cases even years." The master winced and Liera's eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately I don't have access to medical files for knights or masters. So I can't follow the careers of the initiates up until mastery… if they even survived that long." She mutters darkly.

"Besides research is there another reason you wish to access the files of knights and masters?" Liera looked up at her, violet eyes sharp as she weighed the pros and cons of telling someone, especially someone on the council, what she was planning to do.

"You've read my report about Knight Skywalker already?" After the incident with Anakin out in the hall she'd been required to submit a report about what happened. The 'disagreement' happened right outside of the council chambers, after all. They had been able to feel Anakin's anger spike momentarily. It had been Obi-wan who immediately called for medical assistance and taken his former padawan aside to calm him down.

"I have. What you've described is… alarming. To say the least." Yeah, that was an understatement if ever she'd heard one. Having someone as dark as the Chancellor spend time, alone, with a young man like Anakin… It was no wonder he had random bouts of uncontrolled rage and confusion.

"While I'm stationed with the 501st I want to keep an eye on Knight Skywalker's mental health. If he was unstable before the war I need to know about it. Along with any emotional triggers he might have and past trauma he may have suffered." She could also read between the lines to see what may or may not have resolved itself with time. Although with how he reacted to her accusations against the Chancellor she had a sinking feeling he had held onto his past trauma as a way to protect himself. "If I can, I'd also like to see Master Kenobi's file as well. Since the 501st and 212th often work together." Kix had mentioned that Obi-wan avoided the medical bay like the plague unless someone else was hurt. She was going to put a stop to that.

Master Allie watched her quietly for a moment, contemplating her words. Liera waited patiently, understanding the importance of her request and giving the woman time to think it over. Anakin might only be a knight, and she was fairly certain she'd get permission to see his file, but Obi-wan was a council member. She was no longer a part of the jedi order. To let her see any files at all already seemed like a large enough concession.

"I'll give you access to their files and look into the matter of psych evaluations for everyone who returns to the temple after a deployment." A tired look came over her face and Liera didn't blame her. The very scope of this war and the damage it had caused to countless sentients was immense. It put a lot of pressure on those who dedicated their lives to healing others body, mind, and soul.

"I had another matter to bring before the council later today. I can bring up your concerns then." Liera smiled and pushed away her curiosity, the matters of the council were none of her business unless it involved herself or the clones. Whose rights as sentients she would always champion.

"How would you feel about recording all you know of your healing methods in a holocron?" Her eyes went wide in her face and her mouth fell open slightly in surprise.

"M-master?" Master Allie laughed quietly at her reaction.

"Don't be so surprised. You are a fountain of knowledge that has been lost to us for centuries. Our healers would benefit a great deal from what you know, and so will any of their patients." Liera felt her mouth go slightly dry as a mix of apprehension, pride, and joy coiled around inside her.

"I'm not sure if the council will allow someone like me to use a holocron, but if they do I would be happy to share my knowledge." Although she wasn't sure whether the 'heretical' parts of her technique would remain unaltered or not. Not everything she'd learned came from the temple or the jedi. She had learned techniques from everyday medics on the battlefield, from medicine women, priestesses, and wise women. Even the way to heal bonds was a secret technique that she'd learned from her own mother when she'd returned to Haasufeiliah. A lot of what she learned used emotions and connections to others to help in the healing process.

Master Allie glanced at the chrono. "Are you returning to the GAR barracks again today?"

"Yes. I don't know when the 501st will be deployed next and I still have a lot of work to do." She'd already healed most of the 212th and 501st. Now she was working through the 91st. The Coruscant guard had offered to wait until the others were healed, since they were permanently stationed on Coruscant and would be easy to find whenever the 501st returned. They wanted their brothers to have that small freedom in case they didn't make it back from battle. To know that if they survived the war they would have time to make a new life for themselves. A lump formed in her throat just thinking about it.

"Then I wish you a productive day. May the force be with you." The Tholotian master bowed to her. Liera bowed in return.

"And with you, Master Allie." She said as the councilor took her leave.

Making sure her comm was with her and turned on she quickly made her way to the landing pad for the shuttles between the temple and the GAR barracks. When she arrived she smiled and waved to the mechanics she saw taking a break.

"Good day, Miss Liera."

"Good day." She replied courteously.

"Heading to the barracks again today?"

"Yes. I still have work to do. I'm sorry I can't stop to talk, I'm a little behind schedule already." The mechanics just waved her on with friendly smiles.

"Don't worry about us, Miss. We'll see you on your way back."

Coming up to the shuttle she stood with the soldiers, who glanced her way before nudging their brothers. By now she was used to the strange and mixed reactions she got from the clones. If they'd already heard of her they were friendly more often than not. If they hadn't heard of her yet they were a mix of awe, nervousness, curiosity, and sometimes fear. That was the one she hated seeing the most. Fear. There should be no reason for any of them to fear a jedi, which is what they often mistook her as.

Getting on the shuttle she sat down and tried her best to keep calm. She knew from past experiences now that if she started to panic the clone soldiers would either start bleeding stress out into the force or begin to fuss over her. She didn't really want to deal with either possibility at the moment. Closing her eyes she felt about with her senses before opening them again in surprise. One of the clones nearby was force sensitive.

Looking at the armor he wore she realized she'd never actually spoken to anyone in the battalion with the grey paint. If she wasn't mistaken they were the 104th under Commander Wolffe. Rex had spoken of him before with exasperated fondness.

"Something wrong, Miss?" The man asked her gruffly. She shook her head.

"No. It's nothing." It shouldn't come as a surprise to her to find force sensitives among their number. Especially after she'd already met and worked with some of them. But the man was the equivalent of a solid rock in the force. Straight forward, fierce, protective, loyal, and ready for anything.

"If you need anything just say so." He paused and looked her up and down. "You're the one with the 501st." It was less of a question and more of a statement. Her shoulders shook slightly as he held back a laugh. Just from description alone she was almost certain she knew who this man was.

"Commander Wolffe, right?" He gave her a curt nod. "I see word has already gotten around. Yes, I'm with General Skywalker's battalion." And for reasons she still couldn't fathom the 501st seemed very smug about that fact. "I've been going to the barracks each day to help your brothers. If you come to the 501st barracks I can help all of you as well." The man looked down at her for a long moment.

"We'll see." And that was the end of their conversation. She sighed inwardly and went back to using her breathing techniques to keep herself calm. Once she'd gotten to know the pilots on her previous trips between the temple and the barracks she'd felt a lot safer than before. But that didn't mean the fear left her entirely. She trusted Hopper, Skip, Tuck, and Gerit to fly well but she still didn't trust the ship itself.

When they finally landed she let out a sigh of relief and got to her feet. Looking into the cockpit she smiled at Skip and Gerit, giving them a friendly wave, before heading for the gate.

"Good morning, Miss." Handing over her comm she recited the ID number that was quickly becoming part of her daily routine. After a quick scan she was waved onward.

By now the clones in residence knew her on sight. Although a lot of them called out greetings she unfortunately didn't have time stop to chat, only wave back politely to acknowledge them. She'd called ahead and told Rex earlier that she'd be at the barracks around zero-nine-hundred, by now she was at least half an hour late. It had taken her longer than she'd thought to track down the councilor and bring up her concerns.

"_Vod'ika_, you're late." The moment she turned the corner and arrived at the barracks Kix spotted her and began to fuss. Looking up at him sheepishly she shrugged.

"I had to talk to Master Allie and she's a difficult woman to find sometimes." Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear she sighed. "It was important." She promised him.

Kix frowned in concern. "Important how?"

"Important as in- oh force how in the hell have all the jedi stayed mostly sane all this time without anyone doing psych evaluations for three hundred years?" Kix sucked in a breath and waited, as if he expected her to be joking. "I'm serious, Kix. The jedi have been neglecting their own mental health for centuries."

Kix's eyes narrowed. "That would explain a lot." He muttered darkly. Liera patted his arm in sympathy.

"Master Allie gave me access to An- General Skywalker's and General Kenobi's files. I won't be able to look them over right now, I have appointments to keep, but I could use a second opinion." Kix gave her a crooked smile and held out his hand for the datapad.

"Don't worry, v_od'ika_. I'll take care of our _jare'la_ jedi while you help the vode." Snickering over the jedi being called 'stupidly oblivious to danger' she left Kix to his reading and headed into the common room of the barracks. Smiling apologetically she hurried over to the men in maroon.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I was held up at the temple. But now that I'm here we can get started."

[Shaak Ti]

Standing with her arms tucked into her sleeves Jedi Master Shaak Ti listened to the monthly report on the progress of the eldest class of clones. Ever since she'd arrived on Kamino, a month after the first battle of Geonosis, the force had been giving her gentle nudges. They were light at first, the barest hint of something at the edge of her senses. Easy to overlook while devoting all of her attention to keeping the clones safe from the Kaminoans. However, the longer she remained on the perpetually stormy planet the more insistent those nudges had become. Seeing as they were not a response to something immediate and life threatening she ignored them once again. She should have known better than to push aside those feelings.

Without warning something in the force cried out in pain, catching her by surprise. The sound echoed through her mind and she had to grab the edge of the table to keep herself standing upright. When the pain began to ebb she let go of the table and slowly straightened.

"Are you feeling alright, _jetii_?" The Mandalorian trainer, or _Cuy'val Dar_ as they called themselves, asked her carefully. His shoulders were tense and eyes wary, watching her for any sort of trick.

"I'm fine. But there is an emergency I must attend to immediately. Please excuse me, we can speak later at your convenience." Shaak gave him a slight bow before turning on her heel and leaving the room. She made her way to the nearest lift, the force pulling her along urgently, pushing her to go faster. By the time she arrived where the force was leading her she was practically running through the halls. Palming the door control she stepped into the training room quickly, sharp eyes taking in as much detail as she could at a glance.

"_Udesii_, Nov'ika. Joran went to find a _vutyc baar'ur._" Immediately her attention was grabbed by a group of young cadets. They appeared to be about eight to ten years of age, which meant they were only four or five in actuality. One of the boys was sitting on the floor, arm at a slightly unnatural angle, leaning back against another cadet's legs. His face was drained of color, scrunched up in pain, and he was practically screaming pain-distress-frustration-anxiety into the force. So loudly, in fact, she wondered why she hadn't been able to feel it from three floors away.

"What happened here, cadets?" The boys stiffened at her words and she could feel fear-worry-guilt from them all. They huddled around their wounded brother, closing ranks as if to protect him. It both filled her with warmth to see them protecting one another and made her want to curse the Kaminoans for their monstrous treatment of the clones. The cadet who had been speaking when she entered, the one kneeling beside the wounded boy, got to his feet. He took a couple steps forward, as if to put himself between her and his brothers.

_"Ori'vod, cuyir ulyc!"_ One of the other boys hissed quietly. Shaak Ti might not yet understand Mando'a as instinctively as the Mandalorian trainers or the clones, but she was slowly learning. Ori'vod, she knew, meant elder sibling. But with so many of them 'born' the same day the word held special meaning for the clones. Whoever this boy was the other cadets considered him to be one of their leaders, someone they looked up to and aspired to be like.

_"Dar'baati, vod'ike."_ He said quietly to the other boys, never taking his eyes off of Shaak. Even though all her instincts were insisting she help the injured boy immediately she knew that pushing her way forward would only upset them all and possibly end with the boy being injured further. So she turned her attention to the leader of the group. Unlike his brothers this clone's skin was a few shades lighter in color and his eyes were a distinct shade of dark green. "We were practicing and Nova's foot slipped. Comet didn't mean to push so hard. I think it's dislocated."

"I see." She said evenly. "Might I ask your name?" She had a hunch she already knew who he was but having it confirmed would make the conversation easier to navigate.

"Boba Fett." He said, pulling his shoulders back and lifting his chin proudly.

"You would be Jango and Haati's son. I don't think we've ever had the chance to meet in person. I am Jedi Master Shaak Ti." The boy nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. She wasn't surprised. Shaak had met both Jango Fett and his life partner before. Both men were stubborn and intelligent, and it looked like their son would be following in their footsteps.

"Cadet Nova looks like he's in a lot of pain. I'm going to see what I can do to help." As she stepped forward Boba shifted so he was between her and the other cadets. She could feel a surge of protectiveness and wariness not only from him but from all of the boys. "I assure you that he is not in trouble, none of you are." Even with her reassurance the boys stood fast, closing ranks around their brother. If she wanted to get close she would have to order them to move, which she didn't want to do. They were disconcertingly cautious of her, as if she were someone to fear. If she tried to order them now it would only cement the idea that she was untrustworthy in their minds.

"_Ori'vod,_ I found _Baar'ur_ Olar!" An older cadet rushed into the room, followed by one of the medical trainees. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide as he seemed to finally notice her presence. "General!" The young man saluted her, back rigid. Behind him the medical trainee grumbled and pushed past him. On his way he gave Shaak a quick salute, not stopping until he was kneeling next to the wounded cadet.

"Yeesh, _vod'ika_, how did this happen." The boy nibbled on his lip and glanced over at her. The medic made a face. "Okay, later." Reaching over he gently took hold of the boy's wrist and stretched out the arm to examine the shoulder. When the cadet hissed in pain he gave him a sympathetic look and put a hand against his chest. "You're lucky, it's only a dislocation. Let me just grab a painkiller."

"That's better than it being broken, right Nova?" The boy looked up when Boba started talking and tried to smile. "R-right. It would have-" Without warning the medic wrenched the arm back into place with a sickening sound. Shaak winced. The boy's mouth opened in a silent scream of pain that rippled through the force, causing all the boys, the trooper, and even the medic to flinch. Then he promptly fainted. The medic sighed.

"Will he be alright?" Shaak asked once the medic had laid the boy down carefully on the floor and injected him with a single dose of painkiller.

"He'll have to spend the night in medical but he'll be fine." The medic's eyes flicked to Boba for a second before flicking back to her. Something nudged at the back of her mind but she chose to ignore it for the time being. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on him myself. Don't worry, General, he's in good hands."

"I have no doubt." She said honestly. Looking back at Boba and the cadets she watched them quietly for a moment. They seemed calmer now that their brother was being taken care of but they still shifted almost nervously in her presence. With an inner sigh she addressed them. "I see that everything is in order now. Unfortunately I have a meeting to gt back to. Cadets." She said, inclining her head toward them politely in farewell. The boys stood and saluted her. All except for Boba, who watched her warily as she took her leave.

The next morning she entered the medical bay, once again urged onward by the force. She was stopped a few times by medical personnel but politely sidestepped them. She wasn't sure why she was there, only that the force was calling out to her.

Entering another large medical room she felt the force pressing on her insistently. Walking down the row of beds she slowed as she neared one bearing a young cadet. Sitting next to him, talking quietly, was Boba. It was safe to assume this was the boy from the day before.

"Good morning Boba, Cadet Nova. How are you feeling?" Both boys stopped talking and looked over at her in surprise. The young Fett made a face before schooling his features into a mask of apathy. Nova, however, smiled up at her.

"I'm alright, General." Stepping closer she felt for him in the force and frowned slightly when she couldn't sense him. Yesterday he had been so loud and now it was as if his presence was barely there. Reaching out she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and almost recoiled in shock. The boy flinched and looked over at Boba guiltily.

_"Shab."_ The older boy said angrily, glaring up at her in suspicion. Ignoring the curse she stared down at the force sensitive cadet in awe.

"You're force sensitive." She said quietly. The boy nodded.

"How many of you?" Because if there was one there was sure to be more.

"Uhm…" He looked over at Boba, unsure.

"Not a lot." The boy replied evasively.

"Why have we not been told about this? Being able to channel the force is a rare gift." Boba scowled.

"Because force sensitive clones are 'aberrations.' An 'unacceptable mutation' that should be purged, according to the Kaminii." Shaak stiffened, body nearly vibrating with anger. She'd thought the Kaminoans could sink no lower. But to call anyone, especially force sensitive children aberrations? To kill them because they were different… it was unspeakable.

"Haat'buir taught us how to hide so they couldn't find us and Jang'buir stopped the Kaminii from killing us. But… my _buire_ can't be everywhere at once." Boba admitted angrily, clenching his fists.

"Why didn't your parents tell us? We're more than capable of protecting you." The boy's face screwed up into a 'are you serious?' kind of look.

"Because you'd want us to be _jetii_. We're _Mando'ade_, we don't want to be _jetii_!" He said it with such conviction that it caught Shaak off guard. In the silence that followed Nova looked conflicted for a moment.

"I do." Boba turned to the other boy, incredulous. _"Ori'vod, ni enteyor slanar."_ Whatever he'd said made the older boy clench his teeth.

_"Ti kaysh?"_ Boba asked, motioning at Shaak.

_"Yes."_ The answer didn't seem to please the young Fett but the cadet was determined nonetheless. "I saw it." He said quietly, as if that settled matters.

"Saw it?" She asked.

"In a dream. I saw myself wearing _jetii_ robes with a yellow lightsaber and," he looked up at her shyly, "you were there too." For a moment she wondered if it was just wishful thinking on his part but the force was too still for it to be a lie. If what he'd dreamed was a possible future she might very well be looking at her next padawan.

"Do you truly wish to be a jedi?" His eyes lit up and he nodded emphatically. "Then I will contact the Council and speak with them." She couldn't be sure how the council would take the news but she had a good feeling about it. Something about all of this just felt right.

[Ordo]

It was a simple snatch and grab. One minute there, the next minute gone.

Smuggled into the vehicle the young woman looked between him and Mereel, her expression almost unsettlingly calm. Placing her hands carefully in her lap she watched Mereel remove her lightsabers and comm from her belt without saying a word.

"You know, most people panic when they've been kidnapped. So… why aren't you?" Looking up at Mereel she gave him a small smile.

"Unless I'm mistaken, you already know who I am. At the very least you must assume I'm a jedi, since the first thing you did was take my lightsabers." Her voice was soft but he could hear the faint alarm and confusion that wasn't present on her face. "Besides, I can sense that you aren't going to hurt me." A faint shiver ran down his spine, like an itch he couldn't scratch.

"Hmm, good point. Well, you don't need to worry your pretty little head. We just want you to have a nice chat with our_ buir_." Mereel said, cheerful sounding as always.

"Are you talking about Haati? He's the only person I've heard referred to as buir." Ordo frowned. Haati hadn't mentioned anything about meeting her before.

"Haati is our unofficial _ba'vodu_. That means uncle in Basic." His brother added. Not many people outside of their culture actually spoke the language after all. "You haven't met Kal'buir yet." The woman digested the information for a moment then nodded politely.

"You really aren't scared, are you?" He finally asked from the driver's seat. This startled a small chuckle out of her, for some reason.

"Oh no, I am scared. You are honestly terrifying." Glancing back at her for a moment he took in her expression, body language, and tone of voice. From what he could see there was no hint of deception or sarcasm. She really thought they were both terrifying.

"Aw, don't be like that! We can be very friendly." Even without looking he knew Mereel was giving their abductee a bright smile.

"I'm sure you can be. But it doesn't make you any less deadly." The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

Setting the vehicle down on the platform at the operational house Ordo shut it down and got out. Mereel tugged gently on the woman's arm and was rewarded with her obediently getting out of the speeder and standing quietly next to him. Ordo let the two of them walk past him before slipping into a guard position behind her. If she tried anything he was in the perfect position to subdue her. Although he had no reason to expect her to act up now.

"Present for you_ buir_!" Mereel called into the main room as he gently maneuvered their abductee. Kal'buir's face when he caught sight of the woman was full of shock and confusion.

"Did you bring a guest, boys?" Although he spoke calmly Ordo could hear the faint anger and apprehension in his voice.

"Good afternoon. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The woman's tone was light but there was a hard edge to it that made him pause. Kal'buir shook his head.

"Sergeant Kal Skirata, ma'am, and these are my boys Ordo and Mereel." He motioned to them as he introduced them. "I'm sorry if you've had a rough time of it." The woman watched him for a moment and her features seemed to soften slightly, the false calm leaving her as she smiled.

"Liera Buraaaisuh, chief medical officer of the 501st and former jedi padawan." She gave Kal'buir a polite bow. "So, why the sudden invitation?" Kal'buir's face twitched and he raised an eyebrow at them.

"She's the one who can get rid of whatever the Kaminii did to us that accelerated our aging." He answered the man's unspoken question.

"Is that all you wanted?" She sounded incredulous, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Why didn't you just say so?" Letting out a small huff she frowned at them. "Is it just you two?"

"No, ma'am. We have two commando squads downstairs, Odro and Mereel here, and a trooper named Corr." The woman looked between them for a moment before her attention focused on Kal'buir. There was a calculating air about her as she watched their _buir_ that had him feeling on edge. If she even twitched aggressively in Kal'buir's direction he'd slot her before she could blink.

"I can start with you two then, if you'd like." She turned to look at them and smiled. "Maybe when I'm finished you'll let me heal you too, Sergeant." Ordo stiffened, wary for any threat. "I don't even need the force to tell that you're favoring one leg over the other. What the force does tell me is that you are a very dedicated and caring man. Someone these men are devoted to wholeheartedly. I'd be more than happy to help you." Watching Kal'buir from the corner of his eye he could see the man hesitate for a moment before he smiled.

"Just help my boys first and we'll see how it goes." The woman rolled her eyes as she turned to Mereel.

"I'll hold you to that, Sergeant."

* * *

Mando'a Trqanslations

Udesii- Calm down, take it easy.  
Vutyc Baar'ur- Special medic. (Force sensitive medic.)  
Jare'la- Stupidly oblivious of danger.  
Ori'vod, cuyir ulyc.- Elder brother, be careful.  
Dar'baati vod'ike- Don't worry little brothers.  
Shab- Fuck.  
Ori'vod, ni enteyor slanar.- Elder brother, I must go.  
Ti kaysh?- With her?  
Slot- Kill, assassinate.


	14. Hasty Decisions and Repercussions

[Rex]

Coming out of the fresher at a sprint, towel wrapped around his waist, he grabbed the comm he'd left with his blacks. "General."

"Captain, I was wondering if Liera is still visiting the barracks?" Blinking at the comm his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"No, Sir. She left for the Museum hours ago. She was talking with Kix about a presentation she wanted to see today." There was a long silence on the other end and he felt a shiver run down his spine. "Sir?"

"Ah, forgive me. It's just that I haven't been able to contact her and she hasn't returned to the Temple yet. She's still on probation and must report her whereabouts to a Councilor. She's also supposed to return to the temple before dinner each day but she hasn't been seen." There was a hint of bewilderment and a harsh note in the man's voice that Rex had come to associate with concern for others wellbeing. "I'm sure she's fine and has just forgotten. Forgive me for disturbing you, Captain." Rex's eyes narrowed at the device in his hand and he grit his teeth. The Generals could be so damned oblivious sometimes.

"I highly doubt she forgot, Sir." Normally he wouldn't be so straightforward with a Jedi but Obi-wan had proven time and time again that he wanted, even preferred, their input on matters. He valued their insight and their opinions. "She remembers every single _vod_ she's ever met. I also don't think she'd do anything that could jeopardize her ability to come visit the barracks." She genuinely liked being around them. Asking them about their lives, helping out, and answering the shiny's questions with the patience of a saint. Or at least the patience of someone who loved children and teaching.

"I was afraid you'd say something like that. I really don't want to believe something bad could happen on Coruscant but with the recent terrorist attacks…" A feeling of cold seeped into his chest, squeezing his lungs and heart. "Liera is a kind person at heart. If she saw someone hurting I don't doubt she'd immediately offer to help. If she got involved with something dangerous she might have been taken unawares." It was the same kind of cold he felt when they weren't certain whether or not his _ori'vode _were going to come home from their mission or not.

"Just tell me what you need me to do, Sir." Obi-wan hesitated for a moment.

"We'll need to investigate from the moment she left the barracks onward, since I'm certain the guards would have noticed her leaving. I'll see about getting someone from the slicing team to look into the Museum's security network…" _'If she even made it there.'_ Seemed to be the unspoken implication. Rex had a bad feeling about this but it wasn't a warning from the force. The warnings he got through the force were like a brother calling out to him.

"I'll ask around here to find the exact moment she left. That should narrow down the time frame for the slicers."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll be in touch if I find anything." Putting down the comm he dried himself off and quickly dressed. Liera had left the barracks five or so hours ago.

"Jesse, get everyone's _shebs_ over to the common. We have a situation." The tone of his voice brooked no argument. The man replied with an affirmative, leaving Rex alone to think. He wondered if he should get a more specialized team involved but discarded the idea almost as quickly as he thought of it. He couldn't go running to his _ori'vode_ for something like this. Even if _Haat'buir_ already seemed to like their new healer.

Entering the common room he looked over the assembled men. They were tense, watching him with grim expressions. "Miss Liera never returned to the temple. General Kenobi commed me looking for her." There was a faint strangled noise of distress from Kix. Jesse stepped closer to the medic and put an arm around his shoulder, eyes sharp with anger. Rex nodded in understanding. "General Kenobi is getting someone from the slicing team to look into the Museum's security footage to see if he can locate her. Assuming she made it there." The men were quiet, steeling themselves against the possibility of bad news.

"We'll find her, Sir! She's small but she's smart, and fast. Plus she's a jedi of the 501st!" Fives gave the room a reassuring grin. It shouldn't have been half as uplifting as it was but the tension in the room ebbed somewhat.

"It'll be okay, Sir. You can count on us. Anything you need us to do, we'll do it." Echo chimed in, a little less self confidant but just as steady as his squad mate. Hevy just nodded from between them. Rex couldn't help but smile. He'd known these three would be a good fit for Jaig Squad. It was their determination and individuality that had drawn him to them in the first place.

"Alright, men. Here's what we're going to do! We've been given shore leave, thanks to some meddling from Sergeant Kal. Tens of thousands of our brothers are wandering Coruscant as we speak. We're going to put on those fancy uniforms we've been given and we're going to ask if any of the _vode_ saw her. I want everyone in constant communication. General Kenobi will also be calling in with information when he has it. I want you all back here within fifteen minutes! Dismissed!" The room emptied leaving only Rex, Kix, and Jesse.

"My _vod'ika_ better be alright or someone will wish they'd never been born." Such a threatening comment from the normally soft spoken man was a bit of a surprise, but then Rex had seen him whenever someone from Jaig Squad got injured. Kix was kindhearted and very protective of those he considered family. Jesse just grinned at his partner ferally, ready and willing to beat the _shebs_ off anyone who messed with the people he loved.

[Liera]

It had taken the combined efforts of Ordo, Mereel, a commando named Fi, and herself to convince the sergeant he should be healed. Ordo started with the cold logic of it. Mereel mentioned how they might not get a better chance any time soon. Fi had a surprisingly devastating pouty face when he mentioned how worried they all were for him. And Liera, well she was apparently disarming enough that the man finally agreed as long as there were others present. It wasn't out of fear, no, the man certainly wasn't afraid of her. But there was the same wariness to him she'd seen in every veteran soldier she'd ever treated.

Standing next to him as he sat on one of the couches she placed her hands on his chest and forehead, careful not to move too fast. She could feel the spirits of those around her, how they gravitated toward this man. If she were to attempt to injure him she would be dead before she could blink. Force or no force the men in this disreputable establishment were some of the most deadly warriors she had ever met. Some of the most passionate as well.

"You might feel an uncomfortable pinch or two." She warned as she slowly began repairing the man's various injuries. The ankle she had noticed earlier was the easy part. As were the various burns, scars, and organs damaged by toxins over the course of a life lived on battlefields. Out of everything it was the inner ear damage that had her most concerned. She could feel him flinch and wince beneath her hand and the stares of the man's sons behind her intensified. By the time she was done she could feel a strong sense of awe and gratitude coming from the sergeant that made her cheeks flush in embarrassment.

"Your balance might be a little off for the next hour or two while your body adjusts." The sergeant tilted his head side to side for a moment, as if trying to feel the difference. "Let me." She said, placing her hand five or so inches from his right ear. She snapped her fingers twice before moving to his left ear and repeating the gesture.

"_Ka'ra._" He breathed before copying her little test for himself, just to be sure. He looked up at her for an explanation and she couldn't help but duck her head slightly.

"I took care of your ankle, your hearing problem, and any damage your internal organs suffered in the past. I also purged you of all heavy metals, toxins, and semi-dormant viruses. Then I repaired any cellular damage and revitalized your cells." The man frowned slightly, only partially understanding what she was talking about.

"Really? You can do that?" Turning back to the man's sons she smiled as reassuringly as she could. Both of them were like staring at a tightly contained storm in the force. If they ever decided to let the storm go out of control it would be catastrophic. But for now they were only focused on the wellbeing of the man they loved like a father who loved them in return.

"It's a specialty of mine. I'm not sure how many of the Jedi can learn to do this, since my techniques are based on lost knowledge and _heretical_ practices." She had to try pretty hard not to roll her eyes.

"What kind of heretical practices?" Turning toward the jedi who'd come to watch her heal the sergeant she judged his intentions through the force and was surprised to find him only curious, not condemning.

"Using emotions as a focal point for force techniques, instead of removing emotions from the equation altogether. I use determination, hope, understanding, and love to help concentrate on what I'm trying to achieve. You could choose to believe that makes me a Sith if you like, but I am far from dark." Everyone in the room stiffened, ready to move at a moment's notice. But the jedi just stared at her for a long moment before he gave her a pleasant smile.

"No, you're not dark. I wouldn't say I agree with the belief that it makes you Sith either. Can you show me the technique to stop the accelerated aging?" Liera felt a burst of pride from the sergeant and the calm acceptance of the man's sons. It seemed that both she and the jedi had passed some sort of unspoken, unlooked for, test.

"Of course. But I'm not quite finished yet. So after?" The jedi gave her a look of confusion.

"There's one more patient. Can you bring your jedi companion up here please?" His eyes widened slightly before a small complicated look crossed his face. So he knew then. That would make this a little easier.

"What's wrong?" Crossing her arms over her chest Liera wondered how much she should tell the sergeant. After all, healer-patient confidentiality was very important. Especially to the jedi. Unless, of course, the young woman decided to do something stupid and dangerous.

"Not wrong, exactly. But a little concerning. I can't speak with you about it until after I've talked to her." Stopping for a moment she looked over at the sergeant. "Are you her superior in the military right now? I have a feeling this… mission, isn't exactly sanctioned." Kal sat up straighter, eyes narrowing.

"Right on both accounts." Shifting on her feet she nodded.

"Then I'll let you know what's happening once I've spoken to her." It was part courtesy and part respect for the man's authority.

"Miss?" She looked over at the two jedi, one serene and one fidgeting with worry.

"We'll go into another room for some privacy, okay?" The young woman nodded and Liera looked to the other jedi to show her somewhere they could talk.

Once alone she turned to stare down the younger woman, who very well knew what this was about. Etain opened her mouth once, closed it, then started to nibble her lower lip. Bardan let out a small sigh.

"So, you can sense it too?" She asked him. Bardan rubbed the back of his neck, glancing between the two women and saying nothing. "I thought so." Rounding on the young woman with every ounce of authority a healer carried with them she put her hands on her hips. "You need to return to the temple as soon as possible. The amount of stress fighting a war will put you under could cause all kinds of complications." The woman's head came up and she shook it vigorously.

"I'm not-" Liera walked up to her and placed one hand on her abdomen. The bright light of a new life tickled the back of her mind.

"You're pregnant. Unless the jedi have changed immensely since I was part of the Order you have a duty to the life growing inside you. All life is important, sacred. Even if you're on medication to stop yourself from getting pregnant the force sometimes has other plans." A guilty flinch from the younger woman made her stop her tirade, mouth agape. "…don't tell me you planned this?" Behind her she could feel the sharp spike of incredulity from the other jedi.

"I want you to fetch the sergeant for me, please." She asked the man behind her. Once she felt him leave she took a couple of deep breaths.

"I'm not going to the temple." Etain said mulishly. "They wouldn't understand. I'd be kicked out! The jedi are all I've known. Besides, I can't leave my men, they need me!" Liera was shocked at the fear coming from Etain and frowned in concern. The young woman seemed to have a few misconceptions that made Liera wonder how much the jedi had cut out of the ethics and biology classes in recent years.

"They won't kick you out. Jedi aren't celibate, and no one has ever asked them to be. We're all sentients who have physical needs. Jedi have had children before. In fact they make up at least a seventh of the jedi population. What the jedi won't allow you to do is raise the child yourself. They will ask you to give your child over to the care of the crechemasters and cut all ties with them." It was the no attachments rule.

"I can't hide away in the temple for nine months, we're at war! I'll accelerate his growth, I can have him in five mon-"

"You will not!" It was the first time Liera had actually yelled at someone since her first meeting with Kenobi. It was louder than she intended, making the younger woman take a step back in surprise. The door opened behind them and the sergeant gave them both a stern look.

"What's the problem here, _ad'ike_?" He asked gruffly, voice brooking no evasiveness or argument. Liera looked to the younger woman to explain but she'd clammed up.

"I'm using my authority as a Chief Medical Officer of the GAR and Healer Adept in the employ of the Jedi to put her on medical leave." She stated easily, glaring at the young woman when she looked ready to protest. It didn't even matter that Etain was a general and that Liera wasn't from her battalion. If any other force sensitive healer examined her they would back Liera's decision to pull the young woman from the field.

"Why?" The sergeant asked, looking between them with wariness and concern. The young woman hung her head for a moment before she straightened.

"I'm pregnant." The silence that followed was nearly deafening.

"_Pregnant?_" His voice was hard and eyes steely. In the force he was a complicated mess of emotions. Most of them circling around a cold anger and strong feelings of guilt. Liera wanted to reach out to him but knew that in this moment he would not be receptive to any kind of comfort she might offer. His presence was tightly controlled, body poised to move. It wasn't the beloved father of the men in the other room who stood there now- it was a veteran soldier and mercenary. "Whose is it?"

Etain flinched s if he'd struck her. "Darman's, of course." At those words there was a sudden sharp feeling of fear-worry-rage from the sergeant that made her want to take a step back.

"Darman… you mean the man fretting in the other room right now with your jedi companion?" Kal turned to her, some of the anger bleeding off into surprise.

"He doesn't know, then. He'd have told me if he did." His eyes narrowed at the two of them. "How long have you known?" He asked Etain.

"About two weeks." Kal's brows nearly went into his hair.

"_Shabla jetii._" He cursed quietly to himself. "Are you going to tell him?" Etain shifted on her feet, trying not to be intimidated.

"No, I don't plan on telling him any time soon." The anger spiked once again and Liera winced.

"Why the hell would you keep it from him?" The fury coming from the man was sharp like ice against her senses. Taking a calming breath she stepped between the two of them, hands raised up in a placating gesture.

"I'd like you to try and calm down. Stress at this early stage could be dangerous for the child." Kal grit his teeth and forced himself to calm down, although the anger was still there simmering in the background.

"How could Darman cope with having a child? It's hard enough for a normal-"

"He's not abnormal. He's what you people made him." Liera was surprised to find she wasn't being included in the statement. After all, she had the force and was a former jedi. Yet the comment was aimed entirely at Etain.

"That's not… what I meant was that he doesn't have the experience to cope with being a father at a time like this." Liera focused on her own breathing and heartbeat as the two continued to speak. Slowly she reached out with the force to soothe the young woman's anxiety until she was less panicked.

"No one ever has."

"I just… I wanted him to have a future." Etain said, hanging her head.

"You _planned_ this? How the hell is he supposed to have a future if he doesn't know he has a child? Genes don't count for everything." Liera could sense there was some kind of cultural importance that she was missing. There was something almost desperate in the way Kal was acting.

"I can't let anyone know. If they do I'll be thrown out of the Order!" Liera turned to give the young woman a stern look.

"Did you forget what I said before? Jedi get pregnant, it happens. No one is going to kick you out for being pregnant. But you will not be allowed to keep the child." A shock of panic ran through the sergeant, like ice cold water pouring over her.

"In this great plan of yours what did you expect would happen?" He clenched his fists. "Did you think the _ad_ would become a_ jetii_?" Etain shook her head vigorously.

"No. Just a man. A man with a normal life." Liera frowned as Kal stiffened. He hadn't realized that they already knew the sex of the child.

"You can't have missed the fact that the child will be force sensitive. He will require at least some training. But it isn't Etain's decision." That stopped the two of them short.

"It's not?" Liera put her hands on her hips. She understood how Kal wouldn't know this, he wasn't a jedi. But how Etain didn't know was beyond her.

"No, it's not. In the case of a jedi siring a child it is up to the non-jedi parent or their family to decide what will happen to the child. Except in circumstances where the child would be in immediate danger from the non-jedi parent or their family. Which means it would be up to Darman whether or not the child becomes a jedi." Looking the young woman up and down for a moment her frown deepened. "What are they teaching you nowadays?" It was like the jedi were missing out on the most basic things that kept them connected to the people they were meant to protect.

"Who has the right to decide if Darman can't?" She turned to face the man fully.

"If he had parents, grandparents, or siblings then they would have the right to decide. But I'm not sure how the Republic views the relationships between their soldiers." Something softened in the sergeant for a moment.

"I've adopted Darman and the other boys. They're my sons." Liera nodded, giving him a small smile.

"Then as the child's grandfather you would have the right to decide. Whether your family will take the child or whether it will go to the temple to be raised by the jedi."

"Darman's son will be Mandalorian, or he has no son at all. Unless the kid has his culture and what makes him _Mando'ad_ he… he has no soul. That's why I had to teach my boys, all of them, what it was to be _Mando_. Without it they're dead men. Soulless." Liera felt a shiver run down her spine. Although she didn't know much about Mandalorians, and had only been with her own people for a short time, she understood the importance of a soul.

"I know how important it is." Etain said, voice thick with emotion.

"No, I don't think you do. We're nomadic. We have no country. All we have to hold us together is what we are, what we do. Without that we're… _dar'manda_. I don't know how to explain it to _aruetiise_. If we aren't _Mando_ then we have nothing. No soul, no afterlife, no identity. We're eternally dead." Liera kept quiet, pulling in her presence until she was barely noticeable as she watched the two speak. She was fascinated by the culture Kal taught the men under his command, and his need to give them something more. To treat them as proper sentients.

"Dar'manda… that's how Dar got his name, isn't it?" Kal put his hands in his pockets, nodding curtly.

"Yes." He bit out sourly.

"How are you going to train him? The child is going to be force sensitive, he-"

"Which is exactly why I'll be taking him. Do you know what that boy will be worth to creatures like the Kaminoans? Don't you know how very interested people will be in his genetic material? He's in danger you little _di'kut_." The surprise coming from the jedi made Liera want to smack her head against something. Force, she was so young! Young and irresponsible. "The child of a jedi and a clone? There will be no end to the people who would want to examine him."

Etain seemed to be struggling. It was clear she hadn't thought of the consequences beforehand. "But how can Dar raise him?"

"You didn't ask yourself that question before you started all this? Do you even love him?"

"Yes! Yes, you know I do Kal. If I don't have this child and he dies-"

"_When_ he dies. He was designed to die young. I would have outlived him, had Liera not fixed whatever the Kaminoans did to them all. And you're built to live longer than your species' natural lifespan. You said it yourself, just one broad generation of men. Then there's nothing of the clones left eventually, nothing to show they ever lived and served and died. They all deserve better than that." Liera smiled. She could easily see why the men loved this man so much. He cared about them. Every single one of them. As people and as individuals. "But again, Darman isn't given any choice." His expression turned cold. "Not about fighting, and not about being a father."

Silence followed his statement. She could feel the swirling negative emotions of the two of them and her throat felt tight. She'd had to mediate between warring leaders before but never between family members who felt so betrayed. It reminded her of when she lost her master. Of the betrayal she had felt at that moment.

"Excuse me for saying so, but I still believe the temple will be the safest place for her to have her child. There are force sensitive healers there who will be able to catch any complications before they can cause any damage to mother or child." Kal looked at her and she could feel his apprehension.

"What's to stop them from keeping the child when it's born?" She shoved down the feeling of appall and thought about his question seriously.

"I don't think I can give you any reassurances. I'm no longer a jedi and I haven't been in the temple in… a long time. A lot has changed since then. Before I would have said that they would most certainly return the child if you asked but now… now I can't guarantee they would." Etain was a small bundle of indignation in the force, which Liera did not appreciate. "The jedi aren't perfect. It seems like everyone has been falling into the trap of thinking the Order is all knowing and all powerful, able to change the galaxy on a whim. Just because they can touch and manipulate the force doesn't mean they're gods. They're sentients just like everyone else." She gave Etain a stern look. "They make _mistakes_ like everyone else."

Kal was staring at her, thoughts and emotions turbulent. Etain was also staring at her, a sense of confusion swirling around her. Liera looked at them and for the first time felt the weight of the changes the jedi had gone through since her time. The more she found out about the decline of the order the more it ached in her chest. What happened to the down to earth and helpful people she had once known? The war itself didn't do this, such drastic changes took time. It was something else. Something she couldn't name but could sense. Like the oily feeling spread across the planet that made touching the force feel like sticking her hand into a pool of dark water.

"You have a name for the child already, don't you? You know it's going to be a boy so you've already thought of names. Mothers do that." Etain nodded and opened her mouth to speak. "I don't want to hear it. The boy is going to be raised as a _Mando_. If Darman doesn't know about him before he's born then I'll be naming him. Father's name their sons. If Dar can't then I will." Etain sulked.

"So I don't get a choice then?" Liera didn't even need to use the force to sense the petulance in those words. The way the young woman lifted her chin and looked between them angrily.

The anger in the room spiked and it felt as if the very air was vibrating with it. Before she even realized what she was doing Liera stepped up to the young woman and looked directly into her eyes. "You don't have the right to say that. Not when you never gave Darman a choice whether or not he was to be a father. Jedi honor the bodily autonomy of other sentients." The young woman hunched in on herself.

"It was the force that-" Liera stiffened.

"The force does not give you the power to choose for others. Deciding that you are correct because the _force_ told you so is extremely arrogant." As the young woman deflated, feeling wholly defeated, Liera reached out and pulled her into a hug. "You're young and inexperienced. War is terrifying. It makes us realize how easy it is to lose everything. I know you're scared, you would be a fool not to be. But you can't keep acting on your emotions like this. Bottling them up then letting them dictate your actions without conscious thought." The young woman clung to her, pressing her face against her shoulder.

"…I don't want to lose him. I j-just wanted to keep some part of him with me." She whispered. Liera stroked her hair gently. She understood, in a way. One time she'd thought about throwing away her lightsabers, to get rid of the last thing that connected her to the jedi. But they were something her master had been proud of her for. They were like an old friend and in the end she couldn't go through with it.

"If you want to do the right thing for the child _you_ are bringing into the galaxy then I want you to start thinking about your actions carefully. Do what's best for the child. Take the medical leave and have your child somewhere safe. He won't survive if you don't take care of yourself. War is no place for a pregnant woman, jedi or not. There are numerous issues that can come from being stressed or overtaxing your body. Miscarriages aren't as common on core worlds but they can still happen." The young woman went stiff and cold in her arms before clinging to her even more tightly. Of course she hadn't thought of the consequences. She was running solely on fear, adrenaline, and infatuation. It might very well be love but at the moment Liera just didn't know enough about Darman and Etain besides the fledgling force bond she could sense between the two.

"_Ad'ika_." Etain looked up from Liera's shoulder and stared at the older man standing behind the healer. "Come to Mandalore. You'll be safe there. We have medics who can help you with the kid being force sensitive. You'll be among family." Liera could tell that Kal was still angry about the situation but he was at least calm now.

"B-but you hate me now." She almost cried. Liera hushed her gently.

"No, I actually like you, _ad'ika_. I just despise jedi. They never question their right to shape the galaxy." Liera could feel his eyes on the back of her head. "Until now at least." Letting go of the young woman now that she seemed less likely to panic Liera gave Kal a questioning look. "You might not be a jedi anymore but you were raised as one. You're the second person I've met who was raised to be a jedi and left to go their own way." Liera blushed from the approval she felt coming from him.

"If my circumstances had been different I never would have left. I still believe the jedi can do good. They've just lost sight of their real purpose." And she wasn't strong enough to change that. She still wondered why she was the one sent to the future and not one of the masters. Why the spirit she sensed in the temple chose her, of all people.

"I'll go to Mandalore. But… are you sure I'll be safe there? I'm still a jedi." Kal frowned.

"You'll be safe,_ ad'ika_. Trust me." Etain slowly nodded.

"Then I'll finish the mission here and report to Master Zey afterward." She looked over at Liera, who smiled.

"I'll let the council know that you'll be on medical leave. It might not mean much but I'll defend you against them if need be. Although I may not be of much help." She wasn't a jedi and was still viewed as suspicious by many.

"Thank you." The words were quiet but sincere.

"Now. What are we going to tell the young man fretting in the other room?" Kal groaned and scrubbed at his face.

"It could be dangerous if we tell him now. If he's worrying about _Et'ika_ and the _ad_ he might get himself killed." Liera's lips pursed.

"He has a right to know. If Etain is going to be on medical leave for nine months it's not going to be difficult to figure out the reason. Not telling him might make him suspicious of her intentions. Besides, isn't having a family to come back to something that makes one want to fight all the harder to stay alive?" Kal let out a heavy sigh.

"You're not wrong. As long as _Et'ika_ and the _ad_ remain safe then he _should_ know about his kid. Dar has to pick a name for him in any case. I don't want to take that away from him." The man grumbled to himself for a moment longer. "Fine. But we're telling him _after_ this mission is over. With you in the field he'll be distracted worrying about you. For now we keep it under wraps."

"Understood. Thank you… Kal'buir." The sergeant narrowed his eyes at the young woman for a moment but said nothing.

"For now I'll tell Darman it was a force related issue but everything is fine now." It wasn't technically a lie. The issue had been Liera sensing the child through the force and worrying about Etain and the child's health. "But I will be telling the Order when I get back to the temple. I need a good reason to be out of the temple after my _curfew_. I'm on probation. If they think I've been off doing force knows what they might confine me to the temple. I won't be allowed to visit the GAR barracks. My _ori'vod_ will be quite put out about that, along with the majority of the 501st." Kal's mouth fell open slightly before he shut it again. Then he chuckled.

"Been adopted already?" Liera rolled her eyes at him. She was happy things had finally come to a peaceful conclusion.

"I might have adopted them first to be honest." She smiled at the thought.

"Right. If we're done here I'll get Ordo to return your comm and call Enacca to take you back to the jedi temple."

"Thank you, Kal. I hope your mission is a success, whatever it is." She hadn't asked what it was and she honestly didn't want to know. That way she didn't have to lie when asked about it.

"No, thank you." The man stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder "You've given my boys a future. If there's anything you need, anything at all, you just come to me or ask my boys. I'll get back to you as soon as." Liera smiled.

"There's no need to thank me. I'm only doing what I think is right. I know it probably doesn't make any sense to you, the force that is, but it brought me here for a reason. I like to think helping these men was that reason." He squeezed her shoulder gently before letting go. There was something much lighter about him now. Like a weight had been lifted.

"Alright _ad'ika_, let's get you home before they send out a search party." Following him into the other room she snickered.

"There's no way they'd-" Kal stopped dead and Liera almost walked into him. Ordo was looking annoyed and Mereel was trying to suppress his laughter.

"I can understand why General Kenobi would be wondering about your whereabouts, but why is the GAR searching for you? There's reports spreading through the battalions about how you've gone missing." He sounded annoyed, like it was something he couldn't understand and was angry at himself because of it. She thought about what he'd said and sighed.

"I am part of the 501st, so I can see why they would be out looking for me. But I have no clue why the other battalions would be helping them." She doubted Obi-wan had asked them all to go looking for her. "Other than the 501st I've only interacted with the 212th, 104th, 91st, and Winter Squad so far." Mereel started to laugh while Bardan and Etain were looking at her as if she was mental.

"Those are the battalions belonging to High Jedi General Kenobi, also known as The Negotiator, High Jedi General Plo Koon, and High Jedi General Mace Windu, who is also the Master of the Order. Along with General Skywalker, the so called Hero With No Fear. Which means that at least three separate Systems Armies would have heard of you and would help their brothers find you if they asked." Liera's eyes went wide in surprise.

"W-what?" She'd know that Kenobi was a Councilor but she had yet to learn about the other council members besides Yoda, whom she already knew, and Master Allie. She knew even less about the GAR and had no idea that Kenobi was in charge of anything more than the 212th. Her face felt hot with embarrassment. "Why?" Why go out of their way to find her? She wasn't all that important in the grand scheme of things.

"You aren't used to being appreciated and sought after, are you?" Bardan asked softly. Her cheeks reddened further.

"Would it surprise you to know that others think I'm creepy and tend to avoid me? I've often been told I look like a ghost, or a corpse." She motioned to herself with a sigh. "And Even the jedi find my ability to see into someone else's soul unsettling." Kal and his sons froze.

"You can see someone's _soul_?" There it was, apprehension and confusion. Two of the most common reactions.

"In a manner of speaking. I can see past the facade people put forth and see the truth of their being. It's how I know that you're a good person, Kal. Or how much your sons love you. I can also see force bonds." She glanced between Etain and Darman. "Sentients often find it intrusive and disturbing. Although the jedi are as a whole more accepting of the idea." Though not by much. "You can tell I'm using the ability when my eyes glow. My species is naturally bioluminescent, when I use the force I give off a faint light. It isn't usually noticeable, because my skin is so pale. But in the dark I glow. It makes stealth nearly impossible." At least without a whole body suit designed to block out light. "My eyes are more noticeable because of their vibrant color." That and she focused the force solely into her eyes when she looked into people.

"I've turned on your comm. Tell the General you're safe and will be on your way back soon. Then comm your superior and do the same." Ordo handed her the comm with a scowl. Opening the messages she groaned. There were several from Obi-wan, two from the captain, three from Anakin, and more than a few from Kix.

"One moment." Calling Obi-wan she waited for him to pick up.

"Liera?" She sighed. Time to make her excuses.

[Obi-wan]

Leaning over Amp as the man continued to type away at the terminal keys Obi-wan watched the looping security footage. The vehicle was nondescript, easy to dismiss as any old delivery vehicle. What was interesting about the vehicle was the two passengers. Both of them were clones. One was wearing the ARC trooper armor while the other was wearing plain trooper armor. Their armor was unpainted, making them difficult to identify.

He knew that the 501st, and by extension the other battalions, were out searching as well. They were questioning their brothers and the Coruscant Guard was on the lookout for anything suspicious. Now that they knew she'd been taken by clones it both narrowed and widened their search. Any clone with unpainted ARC trooper armor was now a target for questioning.

His comm beeped and he picked it up quickly. Looking at the caller he let sucked in a breath before answering. "Liera?" There was a sigh from the other end and it made him tense.

"Hello Kenobi. I'm sorry I haven't been able to contact you before now. There are… extenuating circumstances." He let out a small huff of annoyance. Tapping Amp's shoulder he motioned that the man could stop searching. The slicer's shoulders relaxed and he smiled, though his hands didn't stop moving. Instead he switched programs and started typing as fast as he could.

"I'm not sure if being abducted can be referred to simply as 'extenuating circumstances.' Are you alright?" Even if he was angry to hear her speaking so calmly he was glad she didn't sound panicked or hurt.

"I'm fine. I wasn't injured at all and although my first meeting with them was a little rocky I'd like to think I've made a few friends." Obi-wan let out a sigh of relief before he turned stern.

"You are returning to the temple now, I assume?"

"Yes. One of my new friends has called for someone to take me. I am sorry about this." He could hear the sincerity and concern in her voice. "I'll explain as much as I can in person. I also have to file a medical report." Obi-wan shook his head in exasperation.

"I'll meet you at the main entrance." The young woman made an agreeable noise.

"See you soon." Then the call ended. Putting the comm back on his belt he turned his attention to Amp. The man had finally stopped typing and was sitting in his chair with a faintly smug air about him.

"Something interesting happen?" He asked. Amp grinned.

"Just sent out a message to my brothers, Sir." Not a second later his comm went off again.

"Ah, Captain. I was just about to comm you. Liera just contacted me. She's fine and headed back to the temple as we speak." There was a moment of silence on the other end before there was a mumbled string of curses too low to understand.

"Understood, Sir. I'll call off the search." Obi-wan could tell there was something left unsaid but he let it slide.

"I'll let you know when she's safely back in the temple." Obi-wan knew, probably more than most, that the clones were individuals. He liked to believe he was in tune with each of his men, choosing to observe them carefully and learn about their differences. Rex was a bit reckless, following Anakin's example no doubt, but he also cared about those under his command. He wouldn't have taken three near shinies under his wing if he didn't care. Liera was now a part of the 501st, which meant she was the captain's responsibility. Rex would take that duty seriously and besides, he'd already shown that he, much like many of the clones, liked the young healer. Giving him that little extra bit of reassurance was the least Obi-wan could do for the brave man who was always at Anakin's side.

"Thank you, Sir." The call ended abruptly and Obi-wan smiled.

By the time he got to the main entrance of the temple he noticed a civilian air taxi being driven by a Wookie, of all things, landing nearby. From inside the missing young woman slide over to the door and got out, politely thanking the driver. Stepping away from the taxi she turned to look at him and gave him a sheepish smile. "Hello Master Kenobi, I'm home!" Although her tone was lighthearted he could see her hands fidgeting with her long braid. She was the very picture of a padawan who had been caught misbehaving and was expecting to be punished.

"Welcome back. You seem to have had quite the adventure today. Care to explain while we walk?" She fell in beside him as he turned to walk back inside, her stride less reluctant.

"As you know I was abducted earlier today. It was a little frightening at first but it turned out all they needed was a healer. I can't tell you why they abducted me rather than just come to the GAR or the temple but I suspect it has to do with their mission. Due to healer-patient confidentiality I can't explain everything, but there is one medical report I need to file later." Obi-wan frowned thoughtfully. Reading between the lines he came to the conclusion that whatever the clones were doing was meant to be covert. Which meant there must have been a medical emergency that they didn't trust anyone else to fix.

"I understand. What _can _you tell me?" The young woman's expression became complicated. Somewhere between concern and frustration.

"A group of individuals needed medical help and some advice. This group didn't speak of their mission but I could tell they had noble intentions." She motioned at her eyes by way of explanation. "I didn't ask and they didn't explain. I healed their wounds, all of them, and gave a consultation on a medical matter." She looked straight ahead, brows crinkling. "I can't say any more until I receive the all clear from the group's leader. It could jeopardize what they're trying to accomplish."

Obi-wan smiled. "I can accept that, for now. But I want to see the final report when it's appropriate for you to speak about it." He could sense her relief through the force. "I do hope you've already commed Anakin and the good Captain." She made a face, cheeks darkening in color.

"I did, and Kix too. They were all so worried about me." She almost sounded bewildered.

"Of course they were. You've become someone they care about." A gentle smile crossed her face.

"They're important to me too. After what happened to my master I thought that I could never trust anyone ever again. But I'm not used to being alone. It was terrible. Everything was so colorless and desolate. I felt like I'd never be happy again." It was surprising to hear her speak in such a despondent manner. "I can't say I'm happy that I've shown up in the middle of a galaxy spanning war. But I'm glad to have met you all." He could feel her sincerity and smiled.

"I'm happy to have met you as well. We may never had found out about Palpatine's manipulations otherwise." Anakin had been doing much better now that he was more willing to listen, rather than argue. His shields and ability to contain his vast presence was becoming more impressive by the day.

"I don't know if I'd go that far. You care about him a great deal. I'm confident you would have found out and put a stop to it." They walked on in companionable silence for a time before Obi-wan stopped suddenly.

"I never thought to ask, but, have you eaten yet?" She shook her head. "Why don't you get something to eat before you go to bed. I have some work to finish, now that you're safely back in the temple." Liera's smile brightened.

"Yes, dad." He spluttered for a moment, lost for words.

"If you don't stop calling me that you're going to face consequences." One eyebrow raised at him as if to say, 'why would I when it's so easy to get a rise out of you.' Which he did not appreciate in the slightest.

"I will. Once you stop talking like a parent." He scowled at her. "I could always call you mother hen instead?"

"You will most certainly not." He said sternly. She giggled at him.

"Alright, I'll stop." He could practically hear the unspoken 'for now.' "I hope you have a good night, Kenobi." With a small bow she made her escape off to the cafeteria. Obi-wan rolled his eyes at her back in exasperation before he continued on his way back to his quarters. Honestly, it was like having a teenaged padawan all over again. Except this one wasn't obligated to listen to him so he had even less control than before.

Back in his quarters he sat at the low table and looked over the newest reports on enemy movement. Throughout the files he could see Cody's precisely worded notes and smiled. So far his commander had been able to cleverly pass off his glimpses of the future under the guise of being a tactical genius. But Obi-wan, more than anyone, knew what to look for when it came to visions. He'd suffered with a strong connection to the Unifying Force his entire life.

He'd never confronted Cody about his connection to the force or his ability to predict the future. That way if he was asked if he knew about it he could feign ignorance. For all he knew it was someone else providing the commander with information. Someone like Rex. He wasn't sure if Anakin had noticed it yet, his brother could be so oblivious at times. Briefly he wondered what his reaction would be to being told that Rex was force sensitive and chuckled over the mental image.

"Well. That is certainly something to look forward to in the future." Shoulders shaking with mirth he returned to his reports. He needed to finish them before morning. It would be a long night.

* * *

Mando'a Translations

Shebs- Behind, butt.  
Vode- Siblings/Brothers.  
Ori-vode- Older siblings/Brothers.  
Vod'ika- Little sibling.  
Ka'ra- Stars. Often used as a statement of awe.  
Ad'ika/Ad'ike- Little one, son/daughter. | Little ones, also 'you guys.'  
Ad- Child.  
Jetii- Jedi.  
Shabla jetii- Fucking jedi.  
Aruetiise- Foreigners, outsiders, and traitors.  
Mando'ad- Child of Mandalore, Mandalorian.  
Dar'manda- Not Mandalorian. Someone without a Soul. Or someone who has betrayed the Six Tenets and has been declared an Outsider.  
Di'kut- Idiot, useless person.


	15. Hiding in Plain Sight

[Obi-wan]

Hiding a yawn he sat down and tried to get comfortable. A sudden emergency council meeting had been called in the wee hours of the morning, courtesy of Master Ti on Kamino. She didn't include a reason in her initial message which made it all the more alarming. All she asked was that the meeting be closed, which meant that those not attending in person would be left in the dark for the time being. Luckily there was a majority of the council in temple at the moment so any important decisions needing to be made could pass as long as they were unanimous.

"Master Ti, important news from Kamino have you?" The Togrutan Master bowed politely before she began to speak. "Fellow Councilors, I have made a discovery that could change everything." Silence followed her statement as the other masters glanced at one another. Master Ti was not known to be hyperbolic. If she said that the knowledge she'd gained could change everything then she actually meant it.

"Would you come here a moment?" Looking away from the council she motioned someone over with a gentle smile. Placing her hands on the shoulders of a young clone she looked back up at the council, expression guarded. "Masters, I would like to introduce Cadet Nova. He's force sensitive." Obi-wan glanced at the others, trying to gauge their reactions.

Out of all the councilors present only four did not show any surprise whatsoever. Seeing as one of them was Yoda, who could mask his surprise beneath jedi serenity, he just decided to ignore the elder for the other three. Master Gallia shifted in her seat trying to feign ignorance, Master Koon looked as though he was smiling beneath his mask, and Mace was keeping his expression carefully blank. Obi-wan hid a grin behind his hand as he stroked his beard.

Master Ti's expression turned disapproving. "I see some of you already knew. Is there a reason this information wasn't shared with the rest of this council?" The cadet went absolutely still, as if trying not to attract attention. Obi-wan could tell he was afraid, although the boy hid it well.

"The only reason I know is because one of my men used the force to save my life. I didn't want to betray the trust he placed in me, the sacrifice he was making that would affect not only him but his brothers." Everyone stared at the Korun master, momentarily speechless. They shouldn't have been surprised. Mace was a stern and dedicated man who put duty first but he was also very kind. Obi-wan didn't want to imagine the look on the clone's face when he realized he had put his brothers in danger by revealing himself to be force sensitive.

"Why would the clones feel the need to hide this from us?" Master Allie asked. Shaak let out a sigh.

"Because of the Kaminoans. It took some time to get the whole story but when I heard it…" She took a slow calming breath. "When the clones first started to show an aptitude for the force the Kaminoans decided that since the_ template_ wasn't able to use the force they would be treated as aberrations. It was only after… what did you call them?" She looked down at the boy with a gentle smile.

The cadet ducked his head almost shyly. "The _Rid'alor_, Ma'am." Obi-wan jolted upright in his seat and everyone's attention shifted to him. He grimaced.

"_Rid'alor_ is the title given to the spouse of the _Mand'alor,_ the King of the Mandalorians." The silence was deafening. "Why would the _Rid'alor_ be on Kamino?" The cadet looked at them quizzically.

"Um, Sirs?" The boy flinched when everyone's attention focused back on him. Shaak leaned over and whispered something into his ear and the boy relaxed.

"Boba's _buire_ have always been on Kamino. They taught the Alpha class, the Commandos, and the Commanders. _Haat'buir_ taught my _ori'vode_ how to use the force to hide so the _Kaminii_ wouldn't find us." Everyone looked back to Obi-wan for an explanation as the man put his face in his hands and let out a small groan.

"Kenobi, what's wrong?" Looking at the other councilors he gave them a wry grin.

"If Haati Kurshi'cin is the _Rid'alor_ that makes Jango Fett the Mand'alor. This means the GAR is made up of clones of the _King of Mandalore_." Mace's face looked pinched while Yoda's ears drooped.

"Why are we only finding out about this _now_?" Master Tiin demanded. "You had a diplomatic mission to Mandalore to witness the coronation of their king. How did you not recognize him?" Obi-wan shook his head.

"That was twenty years ago, when I was a sixteen year old padawan. We only met briefly and it wasn't exactly face to face." Leaning back he let out a sigh. "Wearing ones helmet isn't seen as rude in the _Mandalore_ system and unless you have committed a crime few places require you to remove your helmet. The _Mand'alor_ wore his helmet during the entire ceremony, as did the_ Rid'alor_. While I'd recognize their armor anywhere there's nothing to say that the _Mand'alor_ and his partner don't have secondary sets of armor they wear when they take jobs as mercenaries." As long as the armor belonged to them having a second set wasn't really taboo, although it would be seen as a bit extravagant. Of course for someone like the _Mand'alor_ and his spouse it would be perfectly acceptable.

"You didn't recognize their names?" Obi-wan suppressed the need to roll his eyes, but only just.

"Fett is a common surname in the Mandalore system while Jango is a common first name from Concord Dawn. The Kurshi'cin clan is fairly large and Haat is the _Mando'a_ word for Truth. It is not uncommon to make a name from a preexisting word in _Mando'a._" It was all so very pragmatic and reasonable. Which made it all the more conniving.

A throat being cleared brought attention back to the Togrutan master. "Maybe you can discuss this more later, masters. What I'm more interested in is the fate of the force sensitive clones." That sobered everyone in the room.

"Brought this young one with you for a reason, did you not?" She smiled serenely but Obi-wan could see the gleam in her eyes, even through the hologram.

"Cadet Nova has been having dreams. Haven't you?" The boy nodded before looking down nervously. "Please tell them what you told me earlier in the medical ward." The boy took a deep breath.

"I saw myself standing in the temple. I was in white jedi robes with a yellow lightsaber. General Ti was there too." His face flushed in embarrassment as Shaak's hand moved from his shoulder to gently rest on his head.

"I believe this is a true vision. I wish to petition this council to take Cadet Nova as my Padawan learner." The room erupted into noise as multiple masters tried to speak at once. Obi-wan ignored the others and smiled warmly at Shaak. He thought it was a wonderful idea. The clones deserved more than to be used as tools of war. If one of them became a jedi it could open doors for the others.

"The boy is too old." Seemed to be the only major sticking point in the argument so far. Mace finally had enough and silenced the room.

"Cadet, please tell this council your age." The boy looked mildly confused but nodded.

"Biologically or chronologically, Sir?"

"Both."

"Yes, Sir. Biologically I am ten standard years. Chronologically I am five standard years, Sir." There was a long pause before Shaak began to speak.

"As you can see, he is actually the perfect age to take as a padawan learner. Especially since he has been trained by a former jedi in most of the basic skills an initiate would have at this stage." Already he could see that Plo would be completely on board with the idea. The man was practically radiating amusement and joy. Adi Gallia, Stass Allie, Kit Fisto, Eeth Koth, and even Mace did not seem opposed to the idea. While Yoda, Saesee Tiin, Even Piell and Agen Kolar were much harder to read.

But wait… there was something about her statement that caused him to pause.

"Former_ jedi_?" Shaak looked at him and nodded.

"When I spoke to the Cuy'val Dar about what kind of training in the Force the clones had the more… friendly of the trainers remarked that Haati was a jedi before becoming Mandalorian. They either don't know the circumstances in their entirety or they don't wish to speak about it at all so that was all I could gather. What I have seen from the force sensitive cadets tells me he is exceptionally talented in shielding and has taught every clone about the force. Even the non force sensitives seem to have some rudimentary mental shielding techniques." The more he learned the more things started to fall into place. The battle of Geonosis should have had far more casualties than was reported. The jedi were not generals, they did not know how to lead men into battle. He thought it was only the harsh training that made the men unresponsive to the oft times strange or outright insane tactics employed by the jedi. But if they had been trained against the force, trained with brothers who could throw objects, talk directly into their minds, and force knows what else; then it was no longer a mystery why so many of them had survived. Of course, he'd already come to that conclusion earlier but the added information about _where_ the force sensitive clones had received their training and knowledge had neatly filled the gaps in his theory.

"Masters. It is our own failing that we never even considered the idea that clones could be force sensitive. If there are any who wish to become jedi I think we should give them the chance. The training they receive is every bit as difficult as initiates, and twice as dangerous." Shaak looked each of them in the eyes, her determination clear.

"We shall put this to a vote. Abstain, Master Ti must." Everyone looked to the Master of the Order.

"All those for allowing Master Ti to take Cadet Nova as her padawan?" To Obi-wan's surprise not one of them objected. He had been certain that at least one of the members of the council would object, yet although some had been hesitant there was no outright denial.

"Thank you." Shaak was smiling softly, looking down at the cadet, her new padawan. The boy's eyes were wide and his smile was bright.

"You do know the significance of his vision, don't you?" Plo asked. Obi-wan smiled.

"Of course. Padawan Nova will be a wonderful jedi." There was only one group of jedi that wore white and carried yellow lightsabers. They were some of the most dedicated members of the order. If that was truly the boy's fate then Obi-wan was happy for him.

"What about the others? Do you have an estimate on how many of them are force sensitive?" The boy's expression suddenly became blank. Obi-wan was certain it was a trained response, so that if only one of them were discovered they wouldn't give their brothers away. It nearly broke his heart to see. The boy had only been alive for five years and already he understood sacrifice in a way that most would never understand.

"A decent amount, I would say. However I don't believe many of them will wish to become jedi." Obi-wan wasn't surprised in the least.

"Why not?" Asked Master Fisto.

"To quote the young Boba Fett; 'We're _Mando'ade_, we don't want to be _jetii_.'" Obi-wan couldn't stop his snort of amusement and pointedly ignored the glares sent his way.

"That's not very surprising. They've been trained their entire lives by Mandalorians. A vast majority of them probably see themselves _as_ Mandalorian." If they'd sworn to the _Resol'nare_, the six tenets that make one Mandalorian, then they would _be_ Mandalorian. Regardless of what the Republic thought of them. It made a shiver run down his spine. They were taught to obey jedi above all else, supposedly. But would they turn on the _Mand'alor_ and his spouse if the jedi ordered it? From the information gathered it looked as though they had acted as pseudo parents and protectors for the clones. He didn't want to believe that the clones could turn on them if the _Mand'alor_ called them to action but it was now a distinct possibility. Just what had Jango Fett hoped to accomplish being the template for the clone army?

"In any case, congratulations Master Ti, and you as well Padawan Nova. I take it you'll be making a quick trip to Coruscant? We can have everything ready for you when you arrive." Nova looked up at his new Master quizzically. She smiled and smoothed a hand over his short hair.

"We should be underway in a few hours. May the force be with you." Stepping away from the boy she bowed to the council. When the child noticed her doing this he quickly followed suit. Then the hollocall ended. They sat in silence for a time, contemplating the changes this knowledge would bring. To the jedi, the clones, the GAR, and the galaxy itself.

"If no one has anything else to bring up we can conclude this emergency meeting." Obi-wan was fairly certain Mace just wanted the meeting to end and was hoping no one was about to bring up any new issues.

Master Allie shattered that hope. "I have an incident report, with attached medical files, written by Healer Liera, that poses a small problem." His eyebrows rose into his hairline. How could anyone forget the incident that happened three days prior? He would have to get a copy later and read over the report.

Mace very pointedly did not sigh but motioned for Master Allie to continue.

"It appears that one of the knights, a young woman named Etain Tur-Mukan, is pregnant." It wasn't the fact that the young lady was pregnant that bothered him as much as the timing. "This information is only recorded here in the temple, as Healer Liera feels it would be a danger to the mother and child if the father of the child were to be revealed." She looked around the room, a serious look in her eyes. "This information will not be leaving this room." After no one spoke up to object she nodded.

"The child's father is a clone commando by the name of Darman, or RC-1136." Obi-wan looked over at Mace in time to see the man put his face in his hands and let out a long sigh. "The child will be of interest to many, mostly by those who would wish to experiment on the child or try to use his dna to harm the clones. She has also noted in her report that the child will be force sensitive."

"A jedi siring a child isn't uncommon, but the circumstances leave much to be desired." Muttered Adi.

"The father's family has already claimed the child." That caused a stir.

"Family? How?" Trust Agen to speak the obvious in the bluntest of terms.

Master Allie switched files on her datapad and glanced over what Obi-wan assumed to be notes. "Darman has been adopted by his training sergeant, a man named Kal Skirata who was brought into the GAR after an incident with a group known as the Null ARCs. So far he is the only one known to be able to control them. Master Camas was the one who authorized him for special advisory status." Obi-wan had heard of the commandos but had never worked with them before.

"The adoption can't be legal. The clones aren't considered citizens of the Republic." Master Gallia pointed out sourly.

"It's legal in the Mandalore system, if Kal Skirata is a Mandalorian and adopted him according to Mandalorian traditions. The spoken oaths are legally binding. If challenged I have no doubt that he would be backed by the _Mand'alor_ and possibly even the Mandalorian Senator, Senator Satine Kryze." He had studied a lot as a padawan for his month long mission to Mandalore. A culture of honorable warriors who could, and would, kill a jedi if push came to shove? It had been both worrisome and fascinating. Satine herself had been a well of information and they had spoken at length about the different ideals currently held in the system. Although the Death Watch and the New Mandalorians had both been disbanded, one violently and one through careful negotiation, there were still some who held to their old ideals. She had also explained the Clan system and how a family was structured. Including the system wide belief that adoption was just as legitimate as a child of ones own blood. They even had a saying;_ Aliit ori'shya tal'din._ Family is more than blood. "Which means that Clan Skirata will be taking the child when they are born."

"Knight Tur-Mukan has decided not to return to the temple for the duration of the pregnancy." A strange decision. Or maybe not. Mandalorians had little love for jedi and a man who trained the clones for the jedi would probably be even more skeptical and paranoid. "She will be traveling to the Mandalore System to stay with Clan Skirata."

"After Master Ti's discovery this seems much less surprising." There were a few faint chuckles. "There is nothing that can be done about it. The decision is out of our hands and we can't spare anyone to try and convince her to stay in the temple. Seeing as the father's family is willing to take her in for the time being, and we all know the Mandalore System has been one of the safest places in the Galaxy so far, we'll grant her the medical leave." With no objections Master Allie made a few changes to the files.

"Now all we have to do is find someone to take her place in the 35th Infantry." There were a few unattached knights who might be up to the task but for the time being Master Missur would just have to go without a jedi commander.

Mace looked around once more. "If there is nothing else to discuss I'm concluding the meeting here." To everyone's collective relief no one spoke up.

[Liera]

When she was finally allowed back at the GAR barracks after a three day grounding, she refused to call it anything else if only because Obi-wan made a face each and every time, she was practically smothered in hugs. Laughing she playfully shoved the worst offenders who didn't seem to want to let her go, which was mostly Jesse, Fives, Kicker, and Clip. Kix she let hug her as long as he wanted, seeing as she had worried him most of all. Rex seemed almost uncomfortable with it, which made her want to tease him about warrior stoicism. But before she could say anything he cleared his throat and gave her a stern look.

"I think you need to learn how to shoot and carry a holdout blaster. Your lightsabers are an easy target, but no one will expect you to shoot at them." The men cheered at the suggestion and Liera scoffed.

"I don't need to learn to shoot." Everyone groaned, much to her confusion.

"_Jetii_ and their stubbornness…" Someone muttered.

"I already know how to shoot a blaster." There were a few questioning noises and she was once again being stared at intently. "I was on the run for four years and lightsabers are _distinctive_. Besides, they do teach jedi how to wield a blaster if it comes down to it. Or if you're going undercover." She shrugged. She'd been a good shot too. Blasters didn't require physical strength like lightsabers. Just fast reflexes and good observation skills. Both of which she had in spades.

"This I _have_ to see. C'mon _vod'ika_, let's see what you can do!" Jesse grinned.

Liera knew there were a couple of shooting ranges in the compound but had never been there before. She was more than happy to migrate to one of them with the 501st. She was curious how blasters had evolved in the last seven hundred years.

Signing out a few blasters from the weapons sergeant they explained the various weapons and what they were used for. Liera listened carefully to each and quickly decided not to try any of the heavier weapons. Most of them looked as if she couldn't even lift them, let alone carry them out onto a battlefield. In the end she was left with a few of the rifles and the smaller handheld blasters. Rex went to speak with the range officer as the men continued talking about the which weapons were most useful in a myriad of scenarios.

Once they had permission to use the range they took up a small section and took turns giving her tips and encouragement between competing with each other. The rifles were a little unwieldy, she'd never gotten the hang of two handed weapons before, but they were fun to fire. In the end they would be too difficult to carry with her while she was saving lives so she put them off to the side when she was finished.

The more weapons she tried the better her aim became as she adjusted to the amount of power that each weapon could fire.

Finally picking up the pistol, called a DC-17, she felt it's weight in her hand and smiled. It was much easier for her to handle than the rifles, although it was still a little big for her hands. Squaring her shoulders she aimed down the sights and shot at the target. They weren't bullseyes but she at least hadn't missed the target entirely. Most of the shots were center mass with one of them through the thigh. The computer calculated her accuracy and gave her a score.

"Can all jedi do that?" Turning to look at the new group of soldiers she smiled at the man in white and dull brown armor.

"What, shoot? Most of them can, it's a learned skill like any other. But most jedi can use the force to know when to fire, where to aim, and can even redirect the bolt if they are skilled enough." Liera clicked the safety catch and set the blaster down before she took a step back. "But most jedi don't use blasters. I'm no longer a jedi so I don't have the same reservations they do." She looked over the new group but didn't recognize any of them. "Can I help you…?" The man nodded.

"Commander Levet, of the 35th Infantry." He held out his hand. She looked down at it for a moment before smiling and gripping his arm wrist to elbow. It was something the men of the 501st had taught her, something to show she was one of them. The Commander's eyes widened minutely but he said nothing about it.

"Healer Liera, of the 501st. A pleasure to meet you, commander." There were some murmurings behind the man but he ignored them, intense stare boring into her instead.

"I was wondering if you might know what happened to our jedi commander. She's usually in contact with us but we haven't been receiving any word lately." Liera felt a sinking feeling in her gut.

"Who is your jedi commander?"

"Commander Tur-Mukan, Miss." Yep, the that did not bode well.

"I'm afraid I don't know what has happened to keep her out of contact with you." It was a lie by omission, since she didn't know the specific circumstances that made the young woman keep out of contact for long enough to worry her men. The commander gave her an absolutely dry look and she fidgeted under his gaze. Lying was highly uncomfortable to her, even if it was just by omission.

"We know that she's on medical leave. We just want to know why." Translation; 'don't try to go around the issue.' Liera sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She could feel eyes on her back and knew that the 501st were watching their interaction. She could feel how protective they were from where she was standing.

"Healer-patient confidentiality means that I can't tell you without her express permission. I'm sorry, Commander Levet." And she was. She wished she could give these men some peace of mind. But there was nothing she could do. Except… "But I can tell you that she's safe, and should continue to be so." That was as close to the truth she could get without breaking any vows. The commander stared at her silently for a long moment before he sighed.

"Thank you, Miss." The commander gave her a quick salute, followed by his men.

Before they dispersed she took a step forward to stop them. "If you have time later, Commander, maybe you and your men would like to come to the medical room in the 501st barracks. While I'm on Coruscant I've been stopping the accelerated aging forced on you and your brothers."

"We should have time, is 1300 acceptable?" It took her a moment to remember what that meant.

"That's fine, I'll see you and your men then." As they left she wondered if she'd done the right thing or not. The clones as a whole were highly intelligent. It would only be a matter of time before someone said something or added everything up and realised that Etain wouldn't be coming back for at least a year.

"_Vod'ika!_ Just because you proved you know how to shoot doesn't mean you get to skip out on practice! " Kix called over while Jesse snickered.

Rolling her eyes she went back to the pistol she'd been using and checked it over. "So, if I can prove I'm _competent_ at shooting will you leave me alone?" Hardcase snorted next to her.

"If you can get a higher score than the Captain, then we'll talk." Her eyes sharpened and a grin crossed her face. She always did like having a goal.

[Jango]

Standing in front of the stove he stirred the ground nerf covered in spices he'd brought back from Manda'yaim during his last trip home. The door chimed and he frowned. Unless it was an emergency, or someone had been invited, everyone knew not to bother him when he was spending time with his youngest. Movement from the corner of his eye made him look over to see his son heading down the hall toward the door. Letting his kid handle whoever it was he tossed a cup of neral into the skillet and measured out a cup and a half of water.

Hearing voices he realised whoever it was wouldn't be going away. "Bob'ika, who is it?" He asked, raising his voice so it carried down the hall. Picking up the knife he'd been using he pushed the chopped vegetables off the cutting board and on top of the mixture.

"The Jetii and Nova." His youngest called back.

"Jetii?" What the hell did she want now? They'd already been having issues with her meddling in the training regimens and showing up damn near every place she wasn't expected to be. It was getting harder and harder to keep her out of their business each day. If something wasn't done soon some of the trainers were liable to knock her out and push her off a platform. They were very protective of the lads they were personally training.

_"I'm sorry to drop in on you like this, but my padawan and I will be leaving in a few hours and I had some questions for you."_ Letting out a sigh he stirred the mixture before he lowered the temperature and covered it with a lid. It would need to simmer for a few minutes.

"Boba, take them to the living room." He wanted to get whatever this was over with. Boba had already told him that the jetii knew about the verde's ability to use the force. He assumed her questions would be focused on that. It would have been nice if Haati were home as well but he'd wanted to chase after that rumor one of the ade sent him. The one about a jetiii that could reverse whatever it was the Kaminii did to the clones.

Cleaning his hands he entered the living room and eyed the cushions his son had brought over to the low table. Smart lad. "Go watch lunch so it doesn't burn." Boba nodded and got up from the floor, hurrying past him to the kitchen.

Lowering himself onto a cushion he looked between the Togrutii and the cadet who was trying very hard to look unfazed by being inside his apartment. It was one of the few rules he enforced about his time and personal space. Their apartment was off limits except for family. The fact that the jetii brought him there could mean one of a number of things. But there was no reason to speculate when he could just ask.

_"Is this about the simulations again? Or something else?"_ The woman just watched him quietly for a moment.

_"Earlier today I petitioned the jedi council to take Nova as a padawan; they accepted."_ Now that was a surprise. Haati had been pretty sure they would refuse. But then Haati hadn't been a jedi in over forty years. A lot could change in that time. Especially after a year of war.

_"Congratulations are in order I take it?"_ The cadet looked down, his hands clenched over his knees at the dry tone in Jango's voice. He took a deep breath and projected a sense of calm. "I mean it, Nov'ika. If it's something you chose, then I'm happy for you." The boy looked up at him in surprise, a small blush crossing his face. Jango still wasn't sure what he'd done to earn the awe and respect of the clones, other than the fact that the trainers and the older clones held him in high regard.

_"Thank you."_ He looked back at the jetii, who was studying him carefully, as if trying to solve a puzzle that was missing pieces. _"I wanted to ask if you had any documents about what the Kaminoans did to the first force sensitive clones they discovered."_ Jango clenched his teeth, eyes going steely.

_"Terminated." _Even saying the word filled him with disgust. Who the fuck killed children just because they had an unforeseen ability? _"After they tried to 'test' the limits of what they could do."_ Jango had only ever seen Haati that angry twice before. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room and all that was left was the cold void of space. Until that moment the Kaminii had ignored his riduur as someone insignificant. Just another Cuy'val Dar to train the clones. But that was the day they learned what fear truly was. And it came in the form of a short, pissed off, force sensitive, Mando parent. Even Kal had reacted in a calmer manner when it came to his first meeting with Orun Wa and the Nulls, and he'd been ready to skin one of them alive.

The jetii looked one part horrified, one part furious, and one part maternal protection. It was odd to see on a jetii's face but Haati had always said they adored kids just as much as the Mando'ade. "_Since there are still force sensitives among the younger clones I assume that matter was seen to?"_

_"It was."_

He wouldn't say how, the jetii would frown at him and lecture him on their methods. Although seeing the way she reached over and gently placed a hand on Nova's shoulder, looking down at him in concern, Jango thought she might have approved of what he and his people did to the demagolka hut'uun.

_"How have you been able to keep them hidden for so long?"_ Jango frowned. He knew about the classes and what they entailed, had even sat in on a few of them, but he was unsure how to explain it in terms the jetii would understand. Thankfully Boba came back from the kitchen at that moment.

_"Made tea."_ He said with a small shrug as he placed a tray of cups on the table. Jango smiled at his son and reached up to ruffle his hair.

_"Think you can explain your buir's classes to the jetii? I only understand half of them."_ Boba stood quietly for a moment before he nodded and took a seat next to his father.

_"There are five classes, three for everyone and two for CFS's." _At the curious look from the jetii his son huffed._ "Clone Force Sensitive. You won't find it written anywhere, only the vode know it."_ Well, the clones and their trainers. _"The first class is one everyone takes. Meditation and mental fortitude. The second class is Distraction Avoidance Techniques. All the vode learn how to react to the force. How to keep their balance when grabbed by the force and thrown suddenly, how to keep calm when someone enters your mind, what kinds of impossible physical feats they can perform, and how far someone can push themselves with the force before you need to step in and stop them so they don't kill themselves."_ Jango was proud of his son. He didn't mention the part about how to react to the unnerving phenomenon of jetti suddenly knowing things they shouldn't, how to recognize when a jetii wasn't actually there mentally, and what signs to look out for if they suspected their jetii was going dark. _"The third class is kind of like the physics and philosophy behind the force combined, I guess?"_ Boba crinkled his nose. His son hadn't taken the class yet since the curriculum was a bit over his head still.

_"And those are for all the clones?" _Jango nodded.

_"The men have been told all their life that they were made for the jetii. So we taught them how to handle whatever could be thrown at them."_ Haati didn't want to leave them unequipped to handle the chaos the force could inflict on those who weren't used to it.

_"And the final two classes?"_ Boba picked up the conversation again.

_"Control, which is about learning how to use the force, and Anti-detection, which is how to hide from other force sensitives."_ The Togrutan looked genuinely surprised.

_"You teach every one of them how to conceal themselves with the force?"_ Boba nodded then took a slow breath in and let it out again. The jetii's eyes widened.

_"You are quite strong for your age."_ Boba shrugged, though his ears did redden slightly. Jango chuckled.

_"Go check on lunch, it should be done by now. Set is aside, we'll eat once they leave."_ Getting up his son smiled at Nova and waved.

_"Stay alive, vod'ika."_ Nova smiled back.

_"I will."_

_"Were those all the questions you had?"_

He asked.

_"How did you, Mand'alor Fett, become the template for a clone army?"_ A slow, somewhat vicious, grin crossed his face.

_"It's a long story that I don't plan on telling you jetii any time soon."_ There were a few plans currently in the works and giving away that information could disrupt at least three of them. _"But I will tell you this; I wouldn't try to get rid of me or my men if I were you. Mandalore is allied with the Republic but we aren't _part_ of the Republic."_ It was part warning and part threat.

_"I see."_ Their eyes locked in a battle of wills but in the end she let it go.

_"We must be getting ready to leave. When we return I hope you will allow my padawan and I to sit in on the classes. I don't want Nova to be parted from his brothers so suddenly."_ The boy looked up at the jetii with a bright smile of adoration.

_"That's up to their trainers. But I'll see what I can do." _The woman nodded politely and stood, followed quickly by her padawan.

_"I hope you have a good day, Mand'alor Fett, may the force be with you."_ Jango watched the two of them leave before heading back into the kitchen. Boba looked up at him and smiled from where he was filling a couple of glasses with water.

"All set, buir." Over on the table he saw their lunch already set out and went to sit down. Boba brought over his water and set it down first before he went to his own seat.

"Things are getting worse, aren't they?" Looking up at his son he caught the serious concern on his face.

"In some ways. The jetii aren't reacting like your buire though they would. If we do this right we can keep them as allies unless everything goes to hell." If the jetiii could be persuaded to change their ways then there was hope that things with Dooku could pan out better than they hoped. As long as the jetii didn't step out of line when it came to the clones Jango wouldn't interfere too much. But the moment they overstepped their bounds they would find out why Jango was the sole ruler of the entire Mandalore System.

* * *

Shout-out to Sesshomaru's Babydoll for all of their amazing comments~ Thanks so much for all your support.

Mando'a Translations:

Manda'yaim- The planet Mandalore  
Neral- A type of grain from the Mandalore system.  
Verde- Soldiers.  
Ade- Children.  
Kaminii- Kaminoans.  
Riduur- Non-gendered word for spouse or partner.  
Demagolka- Someone who commits atrocities, a real-life monster, a war criminal - from the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children, and a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche  
Hut'uun- Coward. One of the worst possible insults in Mando culture.  
Vode- Brothers/Sisters/Comrades in arms. It's what the clones call themselves collectively.  
Buire- Parent plural.


	16. The Padawan, the Hunter, and the Healer

[Shaak]

Leaving the ship she calmly strode down the ramp and gave a polite nod to the hangar personnel who were hanging about. Behind her, a little hesitant, was the boy she had chosen to take as her padawan. During the trip she had taken time to get to know young Nova better and was pleased to see how open and curious he was. According to him he was his squad's navigator, as well as their best broadcaster. He spoke about the classes given to all the clones and what he had learned so far about the force. She had been pleasantly surprised to learn that they were already proficient in Shi Cho as well as meditation.

"Are you alright, padawan?" She called to him as he paused at the top of the ramp, eyes flicking back and forth as he took everything in. It was all very new to the poor boy. After all he had been 'born' and raised his entire life on the rainy planet of Kamino with its stark white walls and strict structure.

His eyes fell on her and he gave her a shy smile before descending the ramp and standing next to her. "Yes, Master Ti. It's just…" Placing a hand on his head she ran her fingers through his hair with a small smile.

"A little overwhelming?" He nodded. "It does take some getting used to for visitors. But I hope you will come to see the temple as your home." His expression and presence in the force both brightened before she felt the equivalent of a flinch and his force presence was once again shielded. Inwardly she frowned. It was something else she'd noticed. The closer they came to Coruscant the more withdrawn his presence became, as if he were scared someone would notice him.

"You don't need to hide yourself from us, young one." He looked at his feet, going quiet.

"I'm not hiding from you." He mumbled. Mildly alarmed she gently put her hand on his back and motioned they should enter the temple. Without a word he allowed her to lead him inside, his expression brightening once again as he took in the wide open spaces and warm colors of the temple.

As they walked the halls jedi would nod or call out greetings to her, which she returned. There were a lot of curious looks toward Nova but he weathered them well, smiling and greeting them in return whenever he was spoken to. Whenever he called those he was talking to General, however, it earned her a couple of confused or scrutinous looks herself.

Entering the main supply room she reached out with the force. Almost immediately Master Sageon, the temple Quartermaster, appeared from behind a stack of crates. Inclining his head minutely he looked between her and Nova for a moment before he smiled. "One moment." He said quietly before disappearing. The boy next to her shifted on his feet, looking up at her in confusion. A moment later the man re-appeared holding a bundle of pale brown cloth. Taking the bundle from him Shaak gave a low bow of thanks. Nova, seeing this, quickly followed suit, though it was clear he didn't really understand what was going on.

Looking down at the bundle she smiled at the small pouch, knowing what it contained. "Come, Nova, let's get you properly dressed." Looking between her and the bundle the boy smiled, understanding lighting up his chocolate brown eyes.

Once they arrived at their new quarters, given to them as her old quarters did not have the space for a padawan, she showed Nova where the fresher was located and told him to get dressed. He looked at her a little nervously. "But I don't know how to do all the layers." He admitted, head drooping.

"Just change into the under tunics and I will help you with the rest when you come out." Nodding he vanished into the fresher. Walking over to the couch she set the other items down on the low table and separated them into the different layers. Picking up the pouch she opened it and carefully dumped out the contents. With Nova's hair cut to GAR regulation length a padawan braid wouldn't be possible for a while. What she had been given was the leather and canvas strips that could be woven with beads and worn around a wrist or neck. For the time being it would suffice.

"Gen- Master?" Looking up she smiled and waved him closer.

"They're a little different from the cadet uniform, but you will get used to them in time." Kneeling next to the table she picked up the first layer and helped him into it. As she worked she explained each layer and showed him how it was supposed to be worn. "When you become a knight you'll be free to wear whatever you like. But I want you to know that I will not stifle your individuality, your creativity. I understand that it is important for you and your brothers." Fiddling with the hem of his new tunics the boy caught her eyes and frowned.

"Why don't the trainers like you? You're very nice to all of us and keep the Kaminii from trying to hurt anyone for stupid reasons." He finally asked. Sitting back on her heels she mulled the question over as she reached for the belt that would hold the layers in place.

"Mandalorians and Jedi have had a very long history of being on opposite sides of war. Our cultures are very different as well, so it often causes misunderstandings." The boy wrinkled his nose.

"The Rid'alor doesn't think so. He said that the Jedi and the Mando'ade are very similar, they just follow different paths." Shaak watched him, listening quietly. "The Jedi and the Mando'ade are both very protective of children, they're both trained to be warriors from a young age, they both value community, they're both made up of many different species, and they both have a strict code of honor." To say that Shaak was surprised would be an understatement.

"I can see now that there are a lot of similarities between us, yes." The boy smiled, wriggling a little as she adjusted the belt so it sat where it was supposed to. "Uncomfortable?" She asked, knowing that the belts worn by the cadets during training were a lot lower on the hips.

"No, just new." She smiled.

"Good. Grab that pillow there and sit here. There's one last thing." Settling down in front of her he watched her hands as she wove the cloth and leather strips, threading a single bead onto them. "Give me your wrist." She instructed. Seeing where this was headed the boy held out his left arm. Smiling she wrapped the braid around his wrist.

"Normally you would be required to meditate for a set amount of time before we both appeared before the council. I would declare you my padawan and you would recite the Oath. Once accepted I would then braid your hair, or give you a braid like this one. However due to the circumstances," the war, "we cannot call a full council to witness. Instead you and I will be meeting with Master Yoda and Master Windu. They will witness the oath." Tying off the braid she released his arm and watched him inspect the woven band.

"What's the oath?" She smiled.

"I promise to uphold the Jedi Code. I promise to respect all life and to help those weaker than myself. I vow to use the Force only for good; never in anger and only to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I promise to find new ways to improve myself so that I may be an example to others; to provide guidance to those that seek it, while not seeking to lead or rule them." Nova listened, eyes intense with focus. She repeated the vow twice more until he could repeat it back to her word for word. "Good. I'll make us some tea to drink while we wait." Standing she went into the small kitchen to boil some water.

Returning with the steaming cups of tea she settled down on a floor cushion so she could be closer to her padawan and set the cup in front of him. Curiously he picked it up and sniffed it. She chuckled, startling him slightly. "It's not that bad, I promise you." With a shy smile he took a small sip before a look of surprise crossed his face. Shaak had used one of the sweeter tea leaves for his drink and was glad she had done so.

"Nova," he looked up at her, "what did you mean when you said it wasn't the jedi you were hiding from?" There was a look of fear in his eyes that made her heart sink. Placing her hand gently on his shoulder she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You're safe here, I promise you." His body sagged.

"There's just so many people here." And so few of them were brothers.

"We'll be returning to Kamino soon. Back to your brothers. Once we complete the oath and go to find your crystal for your lightsaber."

"My own lightsaber!" He exclaimed, excited. "We've held one before but only a few brothers felt comfortable with it." Shaak was a little surprised by this.

"He let you use his lightsaber? Did he fight you unarmed then?" Nova shook his head.

"He has the _Dha'kad'au_ so he could teach us Shi Cho. But he only taught the force sensitive _vode_. There isn't enough time or resources to teach everyone."

"_Dha'kad'au_?" Nova grinned.

"The Darksaber." Shaak Ti understood immediately. The man was able to share his lightsaber because he had two of them. She would have to ask Obi-wan for more details later.

The door chimed and she rose to answer it. Standing outside was Master Yoda and Master Windu. Allowing them inside she smiled as Nova got to his feet and gave them both a nervous bow. Standing beside him she pet his hair with a smile. "Ready to give your oath?" Nova looked up at her.

"I'm ready."

[Rex]

Sensing a familiar presence he looked up from he datapad in his hand only to blink in surprise at the crimson and white armor of a Coruscant Guard. He could feel apprehension from some of the others in the room and wanted to grimace in response. None of them should ever feel the need to fear a brother. Putting the pad down he stood to greet the fellow commander.

"Commander Fox. Is there something the 501st can do for you?" Taking off his helmet the older clone gave him an almost haughty look before a small smirk crossed his face.

"It's Adatoya today, _ner vod_." Shoulders relaxing he stepped forward and clasped forearms with the commander of the Coruscant Guard. Seeing their own commander relax and accept this brother warmly the others shed their apprehension and went back to what they'd been doing before being interrupted.

"It's been a while since we've seen this side of you." Rex commented as he reached out in the force to touch the other's presence. The response was tentative at first but once Adatoya's shields were lowered Rex could sense the full brunt of his emotions. He winced under the sudden outpouring but didn't pull away. After being isolated for so long his fellow force user needed someone to connect to. Especially after working with the _dar'jetii_ for so long.

_'Do you think he suspects you know you're able to touch the force?'_ Watching the man's expression he noted an almost ruthless slant to his smirk.

_'No, and I'm not compromised either. The misdirection worked. He really believes that we're all just brainless puppet soldiers taught by Mandalorian Savages.'_ Rex could hear the disdain dripping from the man's mental voice. He added his own impression of disdain-disgust and felt the other commander's approval through the force.

_'So buir was right.'_ Adatoya nodded, feeling equal parts accomplished and disturbed.

_'My mental shielding technique has kept him out so far. Although it's getting harder and harder to subvert his orders.'_ Rex could feel the heavy weight of strain this was putting on Adatoya's mind and his concern grew. He was already undergoing the most harrowing mission out of all the _vode_. Standing right next to Palpatine as he ordered the deaths of their brothers must have been heartbreaking. But _buir_ had tested the ever loving hell out of Adatoya to ensure the man would not break under any circumstances. He had a mental fortitude that would put most others to shame.

_'What you're doing is essential. Our brothers will be avenged.'_ The man gave him a rueful smile and finally let go of his forearm, cutting off their mental connection.

"In any case, I've come to see _your_ healer." There was a soft hint of teasing in his tone of voice that made Rex scowl, even as his face began to feel warm. Why did everyone have to say it like that?

"Healer Liera is in medical with Kix. You'll have to wait a while to see her." There was already a line-up of brothers waiting to have their accelerated aging stopped, along with who knows what else.

As the older clone left to find their healer Rex wondered how she would see Adatoya in the force. If she could see what had been done to him in order to make him the perfect spy against the _dar'jetii_. Honestly he hoped she couldn't. If she could see how fractured his mind had become, balanced on a knife's edge, she might try to help him. But until the _dar'jetii_ was dealt with once and for all none of them would ever feel safe enough to properly heal from the emotional damage this cursed war was causing them.

[Liera]

Stepping into the large building for the first time the young woman looked around curiously. After all the admonishing comments about needing armor before their next tour she finally took the time to visit the GAR quartermaster. The man behind he counter was a regular human with a stern look on his face. She could tell immediately that he took his job very seriously, and was feeling quite stressed from overwork. Putting on a serene smile she let her own calm filter out into the room, shooing away as much tension in the air as she could.

"Good afternoon. I was told I could be fitted for a set of armor here?" The man looked surprised for a moment before taking in the lightsabers on her belt and frowning.

"Just the bare basics then?" Liera shook her head and held out a datapad. She'd been going over the armor specifications and decided which pieces she would like to keep and which she would prefer to go without. Everyone in the 501st was going to fuss at her for choosing not to take a helmet but she knew those were important to the vode. She didn't want to take away their identity and besides, she didn't like how confining it felt. It made _looking_ at people difficult.

"Hmm, it'll take a couple days to fabricate. But it shouldn't be too difficult." The man turned and suddenly hollered. "Link!" From the open door behind the counter a clone in uniform quickly appeared.

"Yes, Sir?" The man motioned toward her, still holding her datapad.

"Take her measurements and note them down here. Then copy the file for the records." The clone straightened as the man handed over the datapad.

"Yes, Sir." He turned his attention toward her. "If you'll come this way, Miss?" With a smile she followed the clone into a side room so he could take her measurements. The sense she got from him was a very hardworking and dutiful man, meticulous, but with a bright outlook and light sense of humor.

"All done, Miss. Was there anything else?"

"Yes, I was wondering if I would be permitted to have…" Reaching over to the datapad she opened another file with a shy smile. "This. If it's permitted, of course." The man looked at the image and his eyes widened.

"Are you sure, Miss? I don't think it's against regulations, but it might cause a bit of a stir." She nodded. It was something she'd been intrigued by since she first caught sight of it.

"Yes. It reminds me of something they wear on my home planetoid. As long as it won't be any trouble, of course."

"I'll see about having one modified for you. If that will be all, Miss?" A large smile crossed her face as her eyes danced with mirth.

"Does it come in blue?" The matching smile she got in return was worth it.

* * *

With all that was happening in and outside of the temple the days quickly began to blend together. Studying and teaching in the early mornings, visiting the GAR in the late morning until the afternoon, then reacquainting herself with Coruscant until she had to return to the Temple for the evening. Where she would train, meditate, and teach more for healing techniques to the jedi.

"That should be the last of them, _vod'ika_." Blinking at Kix's voice she removed her hands from the soldier she was currently working on. She flushed slightly, embarrassed that she'd been caught with her mind wandering.

"I'll make the report, Commander. You're free to go." Picking up his crimson helmet Commander Fox gave her a curt nod in thanks. Even without looking at his spirit she could tell he was a very serious, no-nonsense, sort. There was something almost… unsettling about him. So much of his personality was shadowed by dark grays. She wondered what trauma he had suffered to make him clamp down on his emotions so hard they were practically non-existent. But before she could raise any concerns the man was striding away, back stiff and shoulders tense.

Once he was gone Liera lay over her desk, propping her head on her arms with a tired sigh. She had been pushing herself a little harder than usual lately. Once they were back on the _Resolute_ and in hyperspace she would have to take a proper break. "I'm surprised that the Commander of the Coruscant Guard came in himself. I wanted to heal some of them before we left but I didn't think they'd agree. They seem so distant compared to the other battalions." Kix gave her an indulgent smile.

"They take the defense of Coruscant and the Senate very seriously. Just don't wear yourself out, _vod'ika_." His eyes sharpened slightly as he looked her up and down. "Hmm. You need something sweet to eat, and more sleep." Hiding her face in her arms she let out an exaggerated groan. Kix laughed as he picked up the datapad on the edge of her desk. "Go, I'll finish up the reports."

"Okay, _ori'vod_. I have something I need to pick up on the way back to the temple anyway." He gave her a questioning look but she just smiled and said nothing.

"I'll see you in the med bay on the _Resolute_ tomorrow. Have a good rest." After stealing a quick hug Liera left the 501st barracks and headed straight for the supplies building where she knew her new armor would be waiting for her.

Stepping into the room she was happy to see a familiar clone behind the counter. "Hello Link." Looking up from his work he smiled.

"Good afternoon, Miss. I'll go fetch your package. One moment." When he returned he set down a cloth bundle on the counter and she eyed it quizzically. "I hope you don't mind me taking liberties, Miss. I didn't think you wanted to change into it here."

"No, I don't. Besides, it's not quite finished is it?" He smiled at her before ducking beneath the counter, picking up two metal pots and a slender case. Liera didn't need to ask to know what they were for. She gave the man a bright smile as he chuckled and tucked them into the fabric covering the armor pieces.

"Be safe out there, Miss." Picking up the bundle she nodded.

"I'll try. May the force be with you."

Back in her quarters in the temple she stashed the bundle away for the time being and settled herself down to meditate. She wanted to take her time and think about how she wanted to represent herself. There were many symbols in both Republic and Jedi history she could use but she felt very detached from them both. Everything had changed so much it was like being in another galaxy entirely. Who was she now? What did she have that was distinctly hers?

While she meditated an idea slowly formed in her mind and she realized it wasn't a complicated decision at all. Liera knew there was a perfect way to represent herself to others that was unique to her. Running her hands down her shoulders and arms she opened her eyes and smiled softly to herself.

* * *

The attack had not gone as planned, that much was certain. There were a lot of missing faces when the men returned from the surface of Felucia. She felt, more than heard, the argument between Ahsoka and Anakin about the chain of command and winced at the tumultuous feelings in the force. Thankfully the calming presence of Master Plo Koon, who she had recently been introduced to, was there to mediate. Stuck in the med bay as she currently was, tending to the wounded, she couldn't be there to help tempers cool. But she made a plan to speak with both Anakin and Ahsoka soon.

Quiet sobbing nearby made her pause as she entered the store room. Hiding behind some shelves was one of the medical assistants. Carefully, making sure he could hear her coming, she came closer to the man, who was half hunched and pouring grief out into the force. "Racket?" Tentatively she reached out, gently touching his shoulder in case he didn't want the physical contact. The man looked at her, eyes bloodshot, before he tried to wipe the tears from his face.

"Miss, sorry. Is there something I can help with?" His words were stilted, thick with emotion. She shook her head.

"No, Racket. I just wanted to know if you needed to talk. I can feel your grief." She kept her voice soft, gentle, letting him feel her sincerity. Another sob tore through him and he hung his head.

"I-it's Dune. The _shabla_ clankers got him! He w-was my brother!" Gently she reached up and around his neck, pulling him down until his face was pressed against her shoulder. The man stood there stiffly for a moment before he latched onto her and began crying in earnest. Stroking the back of his head she let him release all of his shock and grief, soothing the more jagged edges of pain in his mind. Someone entered the room and she looked over her shoulder to see Wick, who stopped in his tracks and watched them quietly. She gave him a sad smile and could see in his eyes that he understood. With a small nod of acknowledgment he picked up the supplies he'd been looking for and quickly left them alone.

"Racket, go take a break." Looking up at her tiredly from her shoulder he shook his head.

"I'm n-needed here." Hugging him once more she finally stepped back.

"No, you're going to head back to your quarters and rest. If you have a brother on shift comm them and tell them I've given them permission to stay with you. I'll take over your work." He opened his mouth to protest but she held up a hand to stop him.

"You need to grieve. Besides, I outrank you." She spoke lightly, making sure he knew it was more of a tease than a reprimand. He gave her a watery smile in return. "Give me that and go on. I'll come see how you're doing later." Taking the datapad from him she watched him leave the medical bay and let out a sad sigh. Hitting her comm she called up the chief medic for the shift.

"Plasma." Was the curt answer.

"Liera here, I've sent Racket to his quarters." There was a confused silence on the other end. "He lost one of his close brothers and needed time to grieve. I'll be taking over for him." There was a moment where she thought he might protest but in the end he just let out a low growl of frustration.

"Fine. But I _will_ sic Kix on you later." It was a warning and a threat all in one.

"I'll take a proper rest later." She promised meekly, knowing that the chief medic would go through with his threat if he had to.

But this was for the best. Liera had the force to bolster her, the vode did not.

* * *

After a good eight hours of sleep she finally dragged herself out of bed, had a quick meal, and sequestered herself in her quarters. She was just applying the last coat of sealant to her armor when her comm chirped. Setting down the last piece she left it to dry and answered.

"Liera! Um, are you busy right now?" Came the young feminine voice on the other end.

"Not at all, Ahsoka. What do you need?"

"Oh, well, it's not so much 'need' as well… I wanted to know if you'd spar with me and give me some tips for Jar'Kai." She could hear the hopefulness in the padawan's voice.

"I'm free right now. I'll meet you on the training deck?" The girl squealed in delight.

"I'll be right there!" Ending the call she rose to her feet and fetched her training clothes. By the time she arrived Ahsoka was already there and bouncing on her heels in excitement. Liera chuckled. Tying up her hair she motioned toward the floor.

"There aren't any training sabers here, are there?" She asked as the young Togrutan palmed her lightsaber.

"No, we don't have any on the ship. We always train with live sabers." Liera frowned.

"Then give me one moment." Sitting on the floor she set her two lightsabers down and focused on them entirely. It took her a lot of effort, more effort than it really should have, to modify the energy output. But she didn't want to hurt the padawan by accident. Even if she could always heal her afterward.

"What are you doing?" Looking up into a curious face she smiled.

"I adjusted the blades so they won't be lethal. Just in case." The young woman's face scrunched slightly.

"Is that all you were doing?" Liera felt her cheeks color slightly.

"I am someone who is well in tune with the Living force. Because of the way I perceive things I have a hard time exerting control over what my mind deems as 'dead.' Which includes metal." It was a concept no one had ever been able to teach her out of. Living things had an aura while dead things did not. Rocks, metal, driftwood, all of them registered as dead to her. Even water if it was purified and sterile. "Crystals, like my Adegans, are a different matter. They feel active and alive in the force." Picking up her lightsabers she turned them on and looked over her work. She was pleased to see the light was dimmer than before.

"Do you want to start with a spar or with kata?" She asked as she rose from the floor, turning off her lightsabers.

"We can start with kata, if you want." Clipping her lightsabers to her belt she nodded and stepped onto the mat.

"Let's stretch first." Ahsoka's face crinkled in annoyance.

"Ugh, fine." Liera blinked at her, amused. Raised as a jedi or not she was still a teenager.

"You know it's important, you would have learned this in the creche." Ahsoka very carefully did not roll her eyes but Liera could practically feel it. She chuckled.

"So… I'll just follow you then." Liera smiled at her, resigned, and slowly went through each stretch.

"Wow, you're really flexible and graceful. Like a dancer!" She smiled.

"When I was a padawan we spent some time with a traveling Rylothi entertainment troupe. They taught me a lot of dances and exercises to keep limber." It had been one of her favourite missions. She'd always loved dancing but it wasn't something jedi did all that often.

"Alright, now that we're warmed up. I'll go through the Jar'Kai kata once on my own. The second time I want you to try and follow along." She left her lightsabers on her belt and got into the first stance. She moved through each motion with slow precision, making sure Ahsoka could see how she shifted her weight.

"Of course my main styles are Soresu and Ataru. You'll have to adapt them to your own style." The young woman nodded as she got into the beginning stance and began following along with the movements, brow furrowed with concentration and eyes sharp as she took in each movement a second time. After running through them a few times Liera motioned for her to stop.

"Why don't we try that spar now? I want you to show me your own style, whatever you're comfortable with." With a bright smile she pulled out her saber and ignited it, shifting it in her hand so it was held in a reverse grip before falling into a Shien stance. Liera paused. "Reverse grip Shien?" Ahsoka's face fell slightly before she shifted her grip. Liera frowned. "Didn't you want to use the reverse grip?" The young woman shuffled on her feet, glancing around as if worried someone would appear to scold her.

"My master doesn't like me using a reverse grip… he thinks it's too dangerous." Liera rolled her eyes.

"Ahsoka, listen to me. The force moves through us all, helping us in the form of instinct and a sense of knowing. If holding your lightsaber in a reverse grip feels right and isn't some attempt to impress your peers then I want you to use it. You are both female and a Togruta. You have advantages and disadvantages that your master does not." With a bright smile Ahsoka shifted her grip once more and settled into her opening stance. Liera smiled and lit her two sabers, falling into a defensive stance. The two stared at one another for a moment before Ahsoka launched herself at her sparring partner.

By the time they had finished they were both breathing heavily and smiling. "That was so much fun! I didn't think I'd be able to keep up with you." Liera laughed.

"I might have spent time on battlefields but I was always a healer. My master was a blademaster but I've just never had a talent for dueling." Which was why she focused on an evasive and defensive style. "You're also very talented, Ahsoka." The young woman's face colored in embarrassment at the praise.

"What now?" Deactivating one of her lightsabers she held it out to the surprised padawan.

"Now you use your lightsaber in your offhand, since you're more familiar with it, and use my lightsaber in your main hand to try and get used to how it feels to wield two weapons at once." Reverently Ahsoka took the lightsaber from her hand and her eyes widened in surprise.

"It feels so alive!" Liera smiled.

"My crystals are Mephite from the Adegan system. They're a bit more active in the force than Kyber crystals." The young woman's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"But aren't Adegan crystals really rare?" Liera frowned. When she had been a padawan there were still jedi living in the Adegan system. The crystals were difficult to get but they weren't considered all that rare. Things really had changed in the last seven hundred years.

"It might be a lineage thing. My master was also taken to the Adegan system to get his crystals." She deflected. Ahsoka seemed to accept this and continued to examine the lightsaber in her hand with the force.

"It feels very warm, like a hug." Liera smiled.

"It must like you. Some who have touched my lightsabers found the crystals very… unaccommodating." She had heard them described as cold, sharp, and aggressive. But to her and a very select few people they were always warm, protective, and comforting. "Shall we?" Igniting her second lightsaber she motioned for Ahsoka to come at her. With a wide grin she flipped the lightsaber in her hand and ignited it.

"Oh it's on!" She leapt forward with a laugh.

* * *

Mando'a Translations:

Adatoya- Hunter. From Adate, person, and Oya, Hunt.  
Dar'jetii-Sith.

Bit of a side note; I've caught sick. So far it just looks like a normal head cold though.


	17. Shock and Awe

The last month spent on Coruscant was a wild ride of ups and downs. The Temple had been attacked, a holocron stolen, young force sensitives threatened by a bounty hunter, and a Senator ended up being a traitorous spy. The sheer scope and span of the war was enough to make her head spin. She felt terribly lucky that she was only a healer and not forced to take on a battalion of her own as a jedi. If she had been in charge of a battalion she would have been tempted to retreat with them to her home planetoid to wait out the storm. A place that seemed to have been all but wiped from the records of the temple archives. She'd found only one entry for her place of birth and it was in her personal records.

Now after all of that they were being called to a planet named Geonosis. Apparently the locals had somehow overthrown the troops stationed there to keep them in line. The feelings of disgust and terror the men of the 501st gave off when they heard the planet's name filled her with dread. If it was somewhere these brave men feared to tread then how would she fare? This was to be her first ground engagement, now that she'd informed Skywalker she had her own armor and was ready to join the fight as a battlefield medic.

Puling out the armor she slipped into the black undersuit and was surprised to find it quite comfortable. Almost like a second skin. She moved her arms and bent in half at the waist to judge her range of movement and was pleased to find herself unhindered. Attaching the armor pieces was time consuming, since she had never worn it before, but she knew where each piece was supposed to go and how it should sit. Thanks to helping many a patient out of their armor in order to get at their wounds and a quick rundown of how it all worked from Jesse.

When she was finished she attached her lightsabers to her belt and snapped it in place. The long draping fabric that fell from her hips was thick but supple, like leather. It swayed as she moved and she found she quite liked it. It really did remind her of the draping skirts worn by her people. Finished her preparations she picked up the datapad she'd loaded with information on Geonosis and headed toward the meeting room she'd been informed of earlier. She had a lot of reading to catch up on.

[Rex]

Eyes lazily scanning the room full of_ vode_ he wondered where in the nine Corellian hells his General had gotten to. Glancing over at Kote he could sense his brother's calm patience in the force and wanted to sigh. How his brother could remain so steadfast in the face of a return to fucking _Geonosis_ he wasn't sure. Looking away he scanned the room again and shifted his weight from one foot to another.

If he was being honest with himself it wasn't the absence of the generals or he late start to the meeting that was bothering him. No, he had other things to worry about. Like how this would be the first time Liera would be coming with them to fight on the ground. Sure she'd told them she had a lot of practical experience being a battlefield medic but he knew she wasn't a skilled combatant. Luckily she had the _vode_ to watch her back.

The door at the back of the room opened and he couldn't help straightening, thinking _'finally!'_ Then he got a good look at who entered the room and his body froze in place. It felt like someone had stolen all the breath from his lungs and simultaneously punched him in the stomach for good measure. Walking into the room with a datapad in her hands, not even looking up from the screen, was their healer.

Now normally her presence made him feel relaxed, calm, even warm on the inside. He would readily admit, like most of the legion, that he was very fond of Liera. But right now all of those feelings were completely swamped by a new more complicated set of emotions.

The armor she wore was obviously brand new and had been perfectly tailored to fit her slender frame. The blue paint curling in strange patterns down her pauldrons all the way to her vambraces marked her as a member of the 501st. So not only was she wearing more armor than he had seen on _any_ Jedi General, she was wearing the legion's colors with pride. Something primal inside him felt damned pleased to see her wearing _his_ legion's color. It was almost dizzying.

Letting his eyes wander over her form he took in her appearance and noted what she was, and was not, wearing. There were gaps in the armor that could be exploited but he understood why she nixed those pieces. Her style was very mobile and flexible. If she couldn't move right there was less chance of her surviving the fight. Besides, she wasn't meant to be on the front lines. Thank the stars. The lack of a helmet he also understood. He had seen the respect she gave the _vode_ and their need to be individuals, how their helmets were the 'face' they chose to present to the world. But the thing that caught his attention most, the one thing he just couldn't look away from, was the way the _kama_ flared outward from her hips and swayed with her as she walked. It was damn near _mesmerizing_ to look at.

A sharp pain in his side made him grunt in surprise. "Fuck, what the hell Kote?" He hissed under his breath, giving his ori'vod a scathing look. Kote spoke quietly, eyes forward.

"Rex, she's a jedi." He blinked in confusion for a moment before his face colored. Of course his brother would notice where his attention had been focused. Thinking about what he'd said, however, made him frown. Unlike Rex, Kote hadn't spent a lot of time in Liera's presence. His ori'vod knew she used to be a jedi and still seemed to be in the mindset that she was a superior officer. Rex wanted to roll his eyes.

"Not anymore." He mumbled. Liera finally shut off the datapad in her hands and looked up. Noticing them she gave Kote a polite and friendly smile, then her attention shifted to him. The look she gave him made his spine tingle. There was something proud, determined, and fiery in her eyes that he definitely approved of.

"Rex… are you-" He was pretty sure that Kote was about to scold him or something but he never got the chance to find out. Generals Skywalker and Kenobi entered the room at that moment, with Ahsoka on their heels.

The briefing was quick and simple. They would be arriving at the planet in three hours and would be advancing on the shield generator in a three pronged attack. Then they would take out the damn droid factory. Their mission was threefold. To stop the production of more droids, to take back the planet, and to capture Poggle the Lesser. The Generals agreed that they would take point on the capture, which was good enough for Rex.

"Adept Liera, I want you with me on this." Surprised their healer turned to General Kenobi.

"Ken-General?" Her apprehension was clear.

"You may be able to help us locate Poggle, which could mean a quick end to this mission." The implication was clear. If they could capture Poggle they could demand a surrender of the Separatist forces on Geonosis, sparing lives. Liera's eyes narrowed in thought before she nodded firmly. Rex bit the inside of his cheek, keeping quiet rather than voicing his thoughts. He'd hoped to keep her out of any major skirmishes but when it came to the jedi they were always in the thick of things.

Once the briefing ended everyone filed out. There were a lot of preparations to be made before they landed on Geonosis. On their way out many of the _vode_ complimented her on her armor, expressing interest in the designs she'd painted. A faint flush of pleasure colored her cheeks as she explained the designs, stating that they were actually replicas of the _tattoos_ she had in the same places. Going from her shoulders all the way down to her wrists. "I'll have to show you all later, but they only appear in the dark or under ultraviolet light."

When everyone had more or less cleared out and Liera seemed ready to leave he quickly walked over to her and caught her attention. "Liera." She paused before turning to him with a bright smile.

"Rex." It was a habit he noticed over time. If someone called her by a title she would respond in kind. But if someone called her by name she would be equally casual in return. He didn't mind when she called him captain, it was a rank he was proud to have earned, but he preferred it when she called him by name.

_"Gar beskar'gam cuyir mesh'la."_ He said, running a finger down one of her pauldrons, intrigued by the designs and wondering what they stood for. Her face turned pink, vibrant eyes wide in her face. She tucked her chin and looked down at her hands. He could feel her shy-pleased-happiness-embarrassment in the force and grinned at her.

_"Vor'e."_ Her voice was quiet, almost breathless. It made his heart skip a beat in his chest. He wanted to step closer and reach out to her, tip her head back so he could see her eyes again. But before he could move his brother appeared next to them, clearing his throat loudly. Rex glared at him heatedly but all he received was a stern look in return.

"Commander Kote, good to see you again." For a moment his brother looked mildly surprised that she'd used the proper Mando'a version of his name. Then he smiled, relaxing more than usual.

"It's nice to see you as well. Do you think you're ready to go out and fight?" He could sense the mild concern filtering through Kote's shields and it just made him feel all the more worried.

"I've been on many battlefields so I have some experience with the chaos. At least this time I'll have v_ode_ at my back." Her smile was bright and trusting. "It used to be just myself and… and my master." She let out a small sigh, something in her force signature souring slightly. For a brief moment he could feel her grief, loss, and hurt, before she pushed the emotions away. "I was reading up on Geonosis before the meeting. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to sense the Geonosians. I just hope it's enough to help K-General Kenobi." Rex smiled. She still wasn't used to calling them by their ranks, especially calling the jedi, generals.

"Why do you think you'll have a hard time with the Geonosians?" She frowned.

"Because they're hive minded." She must have seen the confusion on their faces, or read it in their force signatures. "Hive minded species are harder for me to differentiate because the concept of being an individual isn't very important to them. All their thoughts and feelings are on the colony, on the many and the good of the hive, rather than about themselves as an individual. The more close knit a hive mind the harder it is for me to feel the difference between sentients." That… actually made a lot of sense all things considered. They were giant bugs after all. Giant, sentient, bugs.

"Let's hope you can get a read on them then. If not then at the very least the Generals will have decent back-up." Liera shook her head.

"Not if it's a stealth mission. I think Kenobi _forgot_ that I _glow in the dark_." Rex couldn't help snorting in amusement, which earned him a playful grin from Liera and rolled eyes from Kote.

"You mean your skin is so pale that any light would make you stand out?" Liera gave Kote a disbelieving look. As if she was annoyed he'd think she misspoke.

"No. I am literally bioluminescent. Go turn off the light. I'll show you." His brother looked skeptical for a moment but walked over to the switch and pressed it. The moment the lights were off their eyes were drawn to the woman standing there, arms crossed and looking smug. The light she gave off wasn't very significant, not like a glowrod or a torch, but it was enough that you could make out every detail of her face and parts of her armor down to her waist. It wasn't just her skin that glowed, however. Her eyes were still just as vibrant as ever but now her hair was streaked with thin strands of shimmering light. Almost as if they were alive.

"Well that's certainly something I haven't seen before. A glowing jetti." Kote deadpanned. Liera chuckled.

"Now imagine what it was like when I was a youngling. I was like a nightlight to the others. If anyone had a nightmare they would cling to me as if their life depended on it." From the fond tone of her voice and what Rex knew of her personality she had probably encouraged it. Kote turned the light back on.

"At least we won't lose you in darkness or fog." He teased, poking her shoulder playfully. Liera looked at him with mock annoyance.

"Of course. It's not like you could just reach out to me with the force or, I don't know, follow the blinding white of my lightsabers." Kote stopped dead beside him, body tense.

"It's okay, ori'vod. She's known for a while and hasn't said anything. She's the only one who knows outside of aliit." His brother gave him a heated look. Rex shrugged. Haat'buir had met her already and approved. If he didn't approve of her he would have found a way to remove her from the 501st. Of that Rex had no doubt.

"Actually," a cultured voice said behind them. "I wanted to talk to you both about that." Even Liera looked startled, eyes wide and a hand covering her mouth as if trying to take back her words.

They turned to look at the general, who was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and eyebrow arched as he looked between the three of them, his green-blue eyes piercing.

"Shab." Rex cursed.

[Obi-wan]

Watching the three of them freeze and act like misbehaving younglings was just as amusing as he'd thought it would be. But the fear in Cody's eyes and the guilt coming off the young woman made him feel a little bad. He uncrossed his arms and smiled at them warmly. "I'm sorry I startled you. I hadn't meant to." He took a step forward but stopped when Cody tensed. "Oh, Cody," he sighed, "you have no reason to fear me. Select members of the Council, and other jedi I'm sure, have known about this for some time now." Rex's eyes narrowed and he stared at Obi-wan as if trying to discern whether or not he was telling the truth. Liera put a hand on his arm gently and the captain looked down at her.

"He's telling the truth." The captain relaxed at her touch, trusting her judgment, and Obi-wan hid a smile. There was clearly something going on between them, although whether they noticed it themselves was another matter entirely.

"I'm guessing you were one of the ones who knew, General?" He regarded Cody carefully before sighing and nodding.

"I've known since your first major vision." Cody's eyes widened. "When I was young I would have powerful visions that would take hold of me. They were frightening and it was difficult for me to discern between what was happening _then_ and what _might_ happen in the future. Qui-gon would always tell me to root myself in the 'here and now,' trying to ground me in the present." A melancholic smile crossed his face. "I don't think that advice would work for you, all things considered." He had seen the dedication Cody had for his brothers and how hard he worked to keep as many of hem safe as he could. Ignoring his visions, locking away that part of himself, wouldn't help him. No more than it had helped Obi-wan as a teenager.

"So what you're saying… is that you understand." Cody said carefully. Obi-wan shook his head.

"No, what I'm saying is that I can sympathize. Your visions seem to be far more clear than mine were when I was young. But rather than run from them or try to suppress them you use them to help those around you. We have the lowest casualty rates of the entire army thanks to your instincts and quick thinking." Cody's eyes met his and the man's face flushed. He'd never been very good at accepting praise. It was very endearing.

"I was hoping, now that I've revealed I know about your abilities, that you might be more open with me. I'll take any advantage I can to help end this war as quickly as possible." Cody's hands clenched and he closed his eyes, taking a slow, deep, breath. When he finally opened them again they were filled with a calm determination; a reflection of the brilliant mind within.

"Of course, Sir. Why don't we go to your office and I can fill you in on the men under your care." Rex looked at his brother, disgruntled, but didn't say anything. Liera watched him, eyes bright and a small smile on her face.

"I'll meet you in the h-hangar later when the mission starts." He could still sense her fear of flying but it was tempered by far lighter emotions. It was something he hoped she might teach to Anakin. He would have to talk to her later about it, once the mission was over.

"After you, Commander." He motioned toward the doorway with a sweeping theatrical gesture. It had the desired effect of making the man snort in amusement.

They walked quietly down the halls, side by side, for a time before Cody spoke. "What are you planning on doing about them?" For a moment he wasn't quite sure who his commander meant. The man thrust a thumb over his shoulder, pointing behind them at the room they'd just left.

"I'm not too sure. Liera is not a jedi, what she chooses to do with her life is her own. Besides that, the jedi might frown upon attachments but love and even romantic relationships still happen. It's when those relationships become obsessive or possessive that a problem arises." He sighed. "As long as it isn't against any regulations and they won't be censured I see no reason to make a fuss." He glanced over at the commander. "Unless you think there's something I should do about it." Cody looked at him and Obi-wan got the impression he was a little uncomfortable.

"No, not at this time, General." Obi-wan had to stop himself from sighing again. He had hoped that Cody would be a little more relaxed with him, now that he knew.

They made it to his office with no distractions or interruptions. Sitting down he waited for the commander to join him at his desk. When he finally took a seat they sat there in silence for a moment, regarding each other.

"First I should probably explain what brought this on." A nod. "Master Ti discovered a force sensitive cadet on Kamino, which clued her in to the fact that clones could be force sensitive. The cadet had been having precognitive dreams and calling out to her subconsciously through the force." Cody's eyes widened.

"Who was it?" Obi-wan laced his fingers on the desk in front of him.

"Before I answer that I would like you to do something for me." Cody watched him, expression carefully blank. "Do you trust me, Cody?" He let out a huff.

"Of course, Sir." Obi-wan reached across the table, palm up and hand open. "Would you let me in?" He felt the sharp spike of surprise in the force for a moment before it was back under control. Hesitantly he reached out and rested his hand in Obi-wan's, umber eyes never breaking contact. At first he felt only the barest hint of a presence, the kind of presence he'd learned to associate with those who couldn't touch the force. Then the wall came down.

"Force!" He breathed. Cody chuckled, his presence tinged with fond amusement. To him Cody's presence felt like a pool of cool water, calm on the surface but brimming with life underneath. His emotions ran very deeply and although he projected a detached and calm professionalism he had a very large and caring heart.

Feeling a nudge against his own shields he nibbled on his bottom lip. He was very self-conscious and didn't like to let others in. But Cody had opened up to him, which he was clearly afraid to do, so he felt obligated to return the favor. Lowering his shields he tentatively welcomed the commander in. The sound of Cody sucking in air was almost too loud in the quiet room.

_'What the hell, Obi-wan!?'_ He could hear Cody's voice in his mind and flinched. There was a slew of emotions running through the commander's mind. Alarm, concern, and righteous anger being the strongest of these. A sensation like arms wrapping around him and sheltering him from the worst of his grief made him cut the connection with a startled gasp. It was just too much too quickly. Cody blinked at him in surprise then looked away, a sense of guilt-apology filling the air between them.

Obi-wan cleared his throat, trying to ignore the lonely ache inside him. "You're stronger than I thought. I'm amazed you can keep your presence hidden so well." As if sensing his need to move on and talk about something, anything, the commander nodded.

"Any of the _vode_ who are force sensitive are taught to hide their presence first and foremost. It's why you won't see any of them reaching for the force instinctively. Our first instinct is to hide. It's what we were raised to do." Obi-wan frowned. He'd heard it was because of the Kaminoans but now he wasn't very sure.

"There are those of us who can use the force and hide ourselves at the same time but we're few and far between."

"Like you, Rex, Ponds, and Wolffe?" Cody grinned at him.

"Not sure how you knew about Ponds or Wolffe but I assume you caught Rex and I at some point and just kept quiet about it." He nodded.

"The cadet whom Master Ti found was named Nova, of Meteor Squad. When she brought him before the council, asking to take him on as a padawan, she noticed a few of us who did not seem very surprised by this revelation. Mace brought up the fact that 'a trooper' exposed his abilities when saving his life, and how he didn't want to betray his trust." Cody's expression softened.

"Was the cadet taken as a padawan?" Obi-wan's smile brightened.

"He was. I hope he lives up to the potential future he saw in his dream vision. Temple guards need to be wholly devoted to the Order and defending the temple." Cody looked surprised, not that Obi-wan could blame him.

"Good for Nov'ika. I hope _buir_ doesn't blow a fuse about it." Obi-wan blinked, equal parts baffled and intrigued.

"_Buir_? Do you mean the _Rid'alor_?" Cody looked gobsmacked.

"You know about that?" His voice was lowered, as if he were worried they'd be overheard. "How do you know about that?"

"Nova spoke about it during the council session. We know that Jango is the _Mand'alor_. What we don't know is why he would have any part in the creation of the clones or the GAR. And it doesn't look like he's ready to tell us anything either." Cody smirked, looking pleased.

"_Buir_ isn't really fond of _jetii_, even now." He shook his head, chuckling. "Don't try to ask me what they're up to either, none of us know the full scope of _buir's_ plans." Obi-wan sighed. "But we're off topic. You wanted to know about the CFS', the Clone Force Sensitives. You won't find that designation in any file, it's only something known to the _vode_ and the trainers." Obi-wan suspected as much.

"At the top you have me, Rex, Ponds, Wolffe, Bly, and Winter Squad. We're the oldest and strongest." Obi-wan had never heard of Winter Squad before. He'd have to look into them later. "In the 212th there's Crys, Gearshift, and Waxer. In the 501st there's Kano and Kicker. There's also Avid, in Parjai Squad, Kajil in the 442nd Siege Battalion, with Swift, Riddle, and Max for the 7th Sky." Considering there were three-hundred _thousand_ men in the 3rd Systems Army that was a surprising number of force sensitives. Including Cody, Rex, and Appo, there were thirteen force sensitive clones in his army alone.

"I can't believe I never noticed…" Oh he knew of Cody and Rex, for sure. But he had never thought that _Waxer,_ of all people, would be force sensitive. It boggled the mind. Cody laughed.

"Like I said, we're taught to hide our abilities first and foremost. I think Waxer has a hard time of it, he's very empathic."

"What abilities do the men have?" If he was going to turn a blind eye and allow them to use the force in battle he wanted to know what he was getting into.

"Rex has an almost uncanny ability to sense danger and can reinforce his body with the force, making him damn near unkillable. Me, I get visions. Both while awake and when I dream." He grimaced. Obi-wan nodded in sympathy. "Gearshift can understand any spoken language, without having to study it. If he hears enough of it he can start speaking it. Crys has Psychometry, that's what _buir_ called it anyway. Kano can freeze things. Just sucks the heat right out of the air." Obi-wan's eyebrows rose slightly. It almost seemed like each of them had some sort of instinctive power that they'd latched onto, rather than learning all purpose skills like the jedi. "Avid can dismantle droids without touching them. Kajil always seems to know exactly where the enemy is, even if they change positions. Swift doesn't need a navigation computer, he always just knows where he's going, Riddle can create duplicates of himself and his starfighter to confuse enemies, while Max can take apart and fix anything mechanical he gets his hands on. Even if he's never seen it before." By the time Cody was done speaking Obi-wan was absolutely speechless. How could so many of them have such varied and rare abilities?

"Did the _Rid'alor_…" For the first time in a long time he had no idea how to ask the questions he sorely wanted answers to. Cody sat back and watched him for a moment, running a hand through his hair.

"_Buir_ taught us that the force could do anything we set our minds to. There were no limits except when it came to hurting one another or ourselves. If we showed a talent for something he let us pursue it as far as we were able." An affectionate smile crossed his commander's face. "We were taught meditation and the other basic skills the _jetii'ad_ learn, but _buir_ didn't want us to follow the tenets of the Order." Cody looked directly into his eyes with a proud smile. "After all, we're _Mando'ade_." Obi-wan felt as if he'd been punched in the chest. If the_ vode_ considered themselves Mandalorian then what was stopping the _Mand'alor_ from taking the whole army from them?

Cody's expression grew concerned and he placed a hand on Obi-wan's shoulder.

"Obi-wan?" It was rare that Cody called him by name. "I hope you know you have nothing to worry about. The _vode_ are still loyal to the Republic... and I'm… I'm still loyal to _you_." The look in his eyes was intense and focused. Obi-wan's face felt suddenly very warm. "I-"

His comm chirped and he nearly jumped, startled by the sudden noise. Answering he was given a quick report on their preparations and a new arrival time.

"It looks like we still have work to do, Commander. Do tell the men that they are free to use their abilities." Cody watched him quietly for a moment, eyes sharp and calculating.

"Yes, General." The man stood, gave him one last unreadable look, then turned and left. Obi-wan sat there by himself in the office, a little shaken. What in the force had that been all about?

[Cody]

With a low growl of frustration he slammed the side of his fist into the nearest wall. "Haar'chak!" He was lucky there was no one around to see him at the moment. It wouldn't do for any of the _vode_ to see their commanding officer having an emotional outburst after leaving their General's office. Especially right before returning to Geonosis. Looking back at the door he could still feel an echo of Obi-wan in his mind and let out a sigh. He really wished the stubborn jetii would open up to him more.

Taking a few calming breaths he pulled his presence in, putting his emotions in a box and closing the lid on them for the time being. What he needed to be right now was Marshall Commander Cody of the 212th, not Kote Kurshi'cin. He would deal with the Obi-wan situation later. After he'd had a chance to think things through and let his foolish jetii calm down.

Standing straighter he walked away from the door without looking back even once.

* * *

Mando'a Translations:

Gar beskar'gam cuyir mesh'la- Your armor is beautiful. He's talking more about the paint than the armor itself.  
Vor'e- Thank you.  
Kote- Just to clear up any confusion. Kote is Cody's name in Mando'a. It means Glory.  
Aliit- Clan, Family.  
Shab- Fuck.  
Buir/e- Parent/Parents.  
Rid'alor- Partner of the Mand'alor.  
Jetii'ad- Children of the Jedi, Jedi Younglings/Initiates.  
Mando'ade- Children of Mandalore, Mandalorians.  
Haar'chak!- Damn it!


	18. Ground Assualt

Before Liera even headed to the hangar she used a couple of calming techniques to keep the persistent feeling of panic from overwhelming her. This will be her first ground engagement as part of the GAR. On top of that they would be flying down to the surface of the planet in one of the troop carriers. While she trusted the skill of the pilots she would never like flying, especially when they would be flying into enemy territory with the guarantee that they would be shot at. It sent a shudder of dread through her before she forced the feeling away again. There would be plenty of time to let herself panic later.

Entering the hangar she headed toward where she knew Ghost company would be boarding. Kenobi wanted her with him on this mission. It felt like being a padawan all over again… A strange thought occurred to her but she quickly pushed it away, annoyed at herself for thinking it. There was no way the Council would be _that_ conniving, and she had sensed no hidden motives from the man himself. She let it go.

"_Vod'ika!_" Turning with a bright smile she walked over to Jaig Squad, who were waiting for Skywalker so they could rendezvous with the other troops from the Resolute.

_"__Ori'vod, what's new with you?"_ Kix opened his arms with a smile and she quickly gave him a hug. Jesse snickered at the surprised looks from some of the 212th but ignored them for his own hug before he let her go.

_"__Nothing, vod'ika. What's new?"_ She huffed, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest plate.

"I don't know the word in Mando'a. I'm nervous. I haven't been in a battle this large since the moment I appeared here, and back then I didn't understand what was at stake." She could see the sympathetic reaction her words had.

"Well, maybe our gift will help a little?" She looked up at Jesse with wide eyed surprise. Waving her hands out in front of her she felt a bit of color come to her cheeks.

"You didn't have to get me anything!" The _vode_ barely had anything for themselves. For them to get her something made her heart fill with both affection and guilt.

"_Vod'ika_, none of that now. We care about you and want to keep you safe. Just accept it." Kix's soft voice and caring smile made her blush darken but she nodded in acceptance.

Hardcase handed Jesse a box he'd been hiding behind his back. Jesse grinned and offered it to her. The box was fairly wide but shallow. The way that Jesse held it meant it couldn't have been all that heavy. Curious she opened the lid and gasped at what she saw. Inside the box were slender twin pistols that were made of a silver material. Pulling one out she found that it fit perfectly in her hand, the ridged handle feeling similar to her lightsaber hilts. It was comfortable and weighted very little. She looked up at Jesse to see a smug grin crossing his face.

"They're KYD-21 blaster pistols. Seventy-five shots per cartridge and it has a range of twenty-five meters." Picking up the second pistol she held them both in her hands and smiled. It always felt wrong to wield just one weapon at a time. The fact that they knew this about her made her feel warm on the inside.

Beneath the pistols were two holsters. Jesse set the box down and pulled the first holster out, handing it off to Kix. "Where do you usually wear them?" She grinned and motioned at her waist.

"They'll probably sit just below my lightsabers and a little back." Standing still she let Kix attach the first holster and then the second. She knew she could do it herself but she could feel how the action eased some of her _ori'vod's_ anxiousness about her going into battle without them. Once both of the holsters were in place she slid the guns home. With them resting against her _kama_ she couldn't help but feel like a true warrior now. Although some of that was probably the bleed off of pleased-safe-proud coming from Torrent.

Looking at her pistols she frowned slightly. She wondered if she should…

"What's wrong?" Fives asked her, noticing her frown. The others gave her concerned looks.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you name your weapons or not..." Either in their culture or in this time period. It wasn't an uncommon practice in her time. Although the names given to the lightsaber were actually meant for the crystal inside and it always seemed to be a 'suggestion' from the force after communing with the crystals. Many jedi of her time named their lightsabers in secret and never spoke of the names, it being a very private and personal matter. She herself had named her two crystals but had only told a total of seven people, which only included her master and crechemates. All of whom were gone now.

"I think some of the_vod_ do name their guns, but I've never felt the need to." Jesse shrugged. "Why? Is that a jedi thing?" She nodded.

"Well… it used to be. I'm not sure if they do it anymore." Looking at her pistols she brushed her hands against them. They didn't have the same living feel as her lightsabers but they were an important gift from her brothers. She wanted to honor that.

"…what are the Mando'a words for 'day' and 'night?'"

"_Kebii'tra_ and _Ca'tra_. At least I think that's what you're looking for. _Kebii'tra_ means 'blue sky, but it's used for daytime._Ca'tra_ means 'night sky' and is used for night time." Echo spoke up from behind her. Looking back at him she nodded in thanks.

"_Kebii'tra_ and _Ca'tra_. Perfect. Thank you, Echo." The man smiled shyly.

"What did you name your lightsabers?" Hevy asked, curious.

"Oh… well…" She felt a little embarrassed. Kix frowned at Hevy for making her uncomfortable and she laughed. Her ori'vod was so protective of her, it was sweet.

Pulling the lightsabers from her belt she held them out. Lifting the first, the one with the gold stripe down the side, she smiled. "This one is Guardian." Lifting the second one, the one with the pink stripe, she flushed slightly. "This one is Haven." Both of the lightsabers reacted to her calling their names, giving out pulses of affection-safety-protectiveness. The names just seemed so right to her. "Guardian is my main offensive weapon while Haven is my main defensive weapon." Spinning them expertly in her hands she clipped them back to her belt.

"That's pretty cool!" Fives said with a grin. Liera smiled, feeling grateful they didn't seem to think the names were childish.

"I'd, uh, appreciate it if that information didn't leave Jaig Squad. Please."

"Don't worry, _vod'ika_, your secret is safe with us." Kix reassured.

"What secret? What did I miss _now_?" A familiar voice asked behind her with a chuckle. Turning she smirked up at the captain. He smirked back for a moment before his eyes fell on the blasters. She felt her cheeks heat slightly from the intense interest she could see in him but said nothing aloud.

"I've named my blasters. But only Jaig Squad is allowed to know." She said playfully

"Huh. Fair enough. I'll have to ask about it later. We're shipping out now." Her smile fell and the tense feeling of nervousness from before returned. Jesse put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"You'll be alright, _vod'ika_. You'll be with General Kenobi." Jesse said. Why did that not fill her with confidence?

"We'll see you on the ground, _come back safely vod'ika._" She smiled and hugged Kix one last time before Jaig Squad headed off toward their transport. Rex suddenly stopped and she could feel a spike of emotion from him for a moment before it was quickly hidden.

_"__Stay alive, our gett'se'la medic."_ Immediately after speaking he fast walked away from her, trying to catch up to the rest of his squad who eyed him quizzically. Liera stood there, confused. She understood most of those words, having heard them multiple times. But she had no idea what _gett'se'la_ meant. She would have to ask Rex later what it meant.

Opening herself to the force she looked for Kenobi and found him walking into the hangar. He was talking with Cody, probably about tactics. She hurried over to them and caught the tail end of their conversation.

"No Sir, I wasn't involved in the first assault on Geonosis." Sidling up to them she nodded to Cody and Kenobi before looking at the LAATi. With a grimace she stepped up into the gunship and waited for the jedi master to join her.

"Well, you didn't miss much. Last time I was chained to a pole and attacked by several humongous monsters." Just looking at Cody's shift in posture she could see the sudden alarm and faint anger in the commander.

"That… sounds… entertaining." It may have sounded like he was having a hard time finding a respectful answer to give a commanding officer, but she could sense how tense the man was. Hearing how much danger Kenobi had been in made the commander angry… and defensive. She couldn't help the small smile that crossed her face. It was nice to know that Obi-wan had people who truly cared about him. Now if only he'd notice and let those people in.

"It _was_ entertaining." Kenobi said dryly as he stepped into the LAATi. "For the Geonosians." One of the men banged his fist on the wall, letting the pilot know they were all aboard. The door slid shut, locking in place. Liera tried to swallow the lump in her throat as the ship rose into the air.

"You're very brave." Looking up at the jedi she pursed her lips, frowning. If she couldn't sense the gentle calm he was sending out to steady her she would have thought he was being patronizing. But while Kenobi could sometimes be sarcastic and biting with his words she knew he was a kind man at heart. "You could always stay on the_Resolute,_ you are a medical officer. Even if I asked you along, you could have spoken to me about it." She gave him a thin smile.

"No, my place is with the _vode_. I won't sit back in the relative safety of the ship when I could be helping." Even if she was terrified of flying she would never forgive herself if she stayed behind. There was a feeling of pride-acceptance around her from the vode and she relaxed slightly. She wasn't alone. All she needed to do was focus on the people around her and forget her fear.

"That is why I said you were brave. Bravery isn't recklessly rushing headlong into danger. Bravery is being afraid and doing what you feel is right regardless." Her smile was a little brighter this time. "By the way, I've noticed you have some new additions." She was confused for a moment before seeing his eyes dip down to her belt.

"My _ori'vod_ and the others bought them for me." Kenobi shook his head.

"Such uncivilized weapons." She snorted.

"Really Kenobi? What about them makes them uncivilized?" His eyes glinted with mirth.

"Well, for one thing they-" Suddenly the gunship began to shake. Liera gasped and held tighter to the strap above her head.

"We're entering the battlefield now." A sharp jerk to the left had her feet leaving the floor for a moment and she felt sick to her stomach. Around her she could feel life-forces flicker and fade, sometimes vanishing instantly.

"General Kenobi! Don't land! The landing zone is hot!" Kenobi pulled the comm up to his face, expression fierce.

"But there's nowhere else to go!" The ship shook violently and listed. "We're hit! We're going down! Brace yourselves!"

The fear was palpable in the air. The men might be willing to fight and die, to be brave in the face of everything, but they were still afraid. Liera's breath hitched as they fell out of the sky, descending rapidly. Her eyes darted around the cabin and took in every single man in sight. Grim determination filled her and she shoved down her own panic as hard as she could. Closing her eyes she gathered the force around her.

"What are you-?" Opening her eyes she flung out her hands and wrapped the force around every man aboard. Curling her hands she envisioned a soft cocoon around each spirit. Then they hit the ground and searing pain erupted behind her eyes as she slammed into a wall. She let out a pained yell, losing concentration and falling to the ground in a heap.

[Obi-wan]

Just before the gunship could crash headlong into the surface of the planet he felt a ripple in the force. "What are you-" Liera's eyes opened and he choked on his words. Her eyes were nearly white with the amount of power she had gathered into herself. She flung out her arms and he could feel the force surround every man in a pocket of air. She had created over thirty separate barriers to protect the clones and himself but none around herself. Reaching out quickly he surrounded her in the force and held on.

They hit the ground hard and he could feel Umber perish in the cockpit as it crumpled. The men were tossed around, hitting the walls and each other, but seemed relatively unharmed, if a little bruised. Liera, however, was flung hard against a wall and collapsed with a sound that sent a wave of concern through him. Diving over the men on the ground he knelt next to the young woman. She was breathing hard and her face was pinched with pain. Opening her eyes she looked up at him with a groan. "Is everyone alright?"

"All except Umber." She swallowed hard and nodded. Placing a hand on her abdomen he felt the faint waves of the force and knew she was healing herself. The men finally collected themselves and got back to their feet, guns up and ready to go.

"Sir, we need to get moving." He held up a hand, motioning them to wait. Once Liera's hand fell away from her abdomen he helped her to her feet. Her body trembled and he looked down at her, worried.

"Get those doors open." The men quickly complied, prying the doors apart and shoving with all their might.

"Are you able to stand on your own?" Liera nodded and he carefully let go of her, watching her carefully.

"Don't worry, I got rid of the concussion. All I have now are a few nasty bruises." Giving her a curt nod he turned his focus back to the men. From the open doors he could see the circle of tanks and gunships his commander had set up in the distance.

"We're going to have to run for it." Stepping out onto the planet he heard something wet hid the sand and turned to see the young healer doubled over and vomiting. One of the men was rubbing her back, murmuring to her quietly and holding out a square of fabric to clean her mouth with.

"Liera?" She glared up at him and shook her head, looking annoyed.

"I told you, I'm fine." Obi-wan felt a pang in his chest.

"If you're certain. Let's move out."

The rush over the sands toward the rest of his men was nerve wracking. Thankfully the crash hadn't incapacitated anyone so they made it to relative safety in record time.

"General, glad to see you in one piece." Obi-wan smiled at the commander. The squad of men with him dispersed, receiving orders from their superiors and taking up defensive positions. Oddly, Waxer and Boil appeared next to Liera and led her over to a group of boxes to sit down. Boil stood nearby, gun held tight in his hands, while Waxer handed the poor young woman a canteen of water and urged her to drink.

"Waxer could feel her distress the moment you were in range." Cody let out a frustrated sigh. "We've got no air cover. Two generals on the ground beyond opposition, and a mess of bugs surrounding us. The enemy was more than prepared for the attack, Sir. They knew our every move." Now they were surrounded and far from the landing zone with no air support to speak of.

"Well I'm sure General Skywalker and General Mundi will make it to our position. We just have to make sure we're still here when they arrive." Cody nods and Obi-wan can feel his brilliant mind at work. A sudden wave of cold, what he might call ruthlessness, settles over the commander and Obi-wan stills, watching him warily. The man has come to a decision and Obi-wan isn't quite sure if he's going to like what the commander has come up with.

"This is Commander Cody. Cease _Ranov'la_ lockdown protocols. Acknowledge." There seemed to be a beat of surprised silence before the men acknowledged the order.

"This is Crys, acknowledged, _Al'verde_."

"Gearshift; heard you loud and clear, _Al'verde_."

"Waxer here, you got it,_Al'verde_."

"Wooley, acknowledged, _Al'verde_."

"Kajil, let's give them _haran, Al'verde_."

"Avid, they won't know what hit them, _Al'verde_." The abrupt switch from strict military mannerisms to an almost mercenary way of talking left Obi-wan blinking in confusion. Cody let his arm drop and there was a subtle shift in his stature before Obi-wan felt the shields around him drop. Seven new powerful force presences suddenly appeared, as if from the ether. It left him absolutely astonished. Suddenly, from where he was standing, he could sense a burst of amusement from Waxer. Cody's head whipped around and he could _feel _the man's cold ire.

"Waxer, get your lazy ass out there!" He barked. It sounded so surreal to hear his normally calm and collected commander cursing.

"Oh come on, he's _projecting!_ We can all feel that!" Obi-wan felt his cheeks fill with warmth, embarrassed to realize that they could, indeed, feel him in the force. The ease he felt around the 212th always made him drop his shields, if only a little. Add his surprise on to that and his emotions were spilling out into the force. He would have to rectify that from now on.

_"__Gev! Vaabir meg ni sirbur."_ Cody growled into the comm, voice dropping an octave and making the hair on the back of Obi-wan's neck stand on edge. He had never seen the commander acting this aggressively before. As if noticing his discomfort Cody calmed considerably until the anger was a faint simmer in the background.

"Obi-wan." Eyebrows rising into his hairline he stared at the man that he isn't quite sure he actually knows. Cody sighed, reaching up and slipping his helmet off. Caramel eyes gazed into blue-green, intense yet earnest. "As a jedi you should understand how fundamental it is to be able to feel and use the force. But we aren't allowed to display those abilities freely. Locking a part of ourselves away… of course it's going to change how we act." There was a loud explosion and Cody sighed. "We'll discuss this more later on the _Negotiator_." Putting his helmet back on he turned away and started trying to make contact with the other groups.

Obi-wan wasn't sure what to make of any of this. He hadn't realized just how much the men had been suppressing themselves and it pained him to realize he had never truly sat down with any of the men under his command and gotten to know them.

"Kenobi." A feminine voice nearby pulled him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Go with the current, not against it. Don't question _why_ the current exists, just question where it's going and if you need to avoid the rapids." Well that was certainly an odd way of putting it… and for a single solitary moment it was like Qui-gon was standing there, telling him to focus on the 'here and now.' He shook his head to clear it and turned his focus to the battle.

"Are you ready?" Liera nodded curtly.

"Ready when you are. If you watch my back I can start evacuating the wounded and healing them until help arrives." Obi-wan nodded and palmed his lightsaber. This battle was going to be hellish. But as an enemy tank turned and obliterated a large group of Geonosians, to the amusement and delight of the force sensitive troopers, he felt hopeful that they would make it through.

[Rex]

Running around the bend in the canyon he skidded to a stop as every nerve in his body shrieked that they were in danger. "Scatter!" He yelled, grabbing the nearest trooper he could feel freezing in place and hauling his dumb ass into cover. They lost two more men from the sudden onslaught and he cursed. There'd been thirty-six of them and the two generals when the ship left the _Resolute_. Now they were down to twenty-three men.

Next to him the General and Commander started to bicker and he clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Well this is another fine mess you've gotten us into!" Ahsoka yelled at her master over the sounds of blasterfire.

"What!? Hey, it's not _my_ fault! You were supposed to study the holomaps!" Wasn't that just like his General? To push the blame on someone else. There was no sense of responsibility for the actions of someone under his command. In times like these Rex really wished he could speak up. But he swallowed his professional pride and checked his shields as he popped back up and took a couple pot shots at the clankers.

"I did! Remember!? When I reminded you about the _giant wall_ and you said, 'don't worry Snips. We won't be anywhere near that.'" If there was a god that ruled Chaos in the universe then Anakin Skywalker had to be its spawn. There was no other explanation for the shitty situations they constantly found themselves in.

"Just get ready to climb, Snips!" Skywalker yelled at his padawan as he got up and took a pack of grenades from Denal.

"So what's the plan, General?"

"Just keep us covered Rex. There's too much laser fire for all of us to make the climb. Ahsoka and I will handle this." Of course they would. "Just be ready when that wall comes down." The two of them dashed off and Rex sighed.

_"__Crazy jetii."_ He cursed under his breath. "Pick your shots, lads! We're the distraction!" Aiming for the turrets he started to systematically destroy them one at a time, immersing himself in the force to make his reaction time faster even as he let his sense of danger warn him of incoming fire. Whenever he fell into this kind of trance it always felt like a sort of intricate dance. Except his partner wasn't another sentient but the ebb and flow of the universe itself.

Sensing the jetii had made it to the top of the wall he saw the droids turn toward the bigger threat. "Focus on the droids!" Tugging Hevy with the force, out of the way of a bolt that would have taken his head clean off, he smiled at the string of surprised curses leaving the rookie's mouth. Even if they'd been trained to expect the sudden application of the force there were few brothers who actually enjoyed being pushed around by an invisible entity.

As immersed in the force as he was he could sense something pulling him toward the top of the wall. With a grimace he eyed the wall of rock. _"__Appo, you lead!"_ The man didn't even glance at him, just waved him onward. They both understood the pull of the force.

Finally up on the wall he watched as two rollies pop out of the ground. Ahsoka and Anakin were back to back, deflecting bolts. Carefully he walks toward the rolly in front of him. Ahsoka notices him but doesn't falter even for a second. Entering the shield he shot the head off the droideka, which promptly fell over; inert. Without the risk of Ahsoka being shot in the back Anakin jumped into the air then dove beneath the second rolly, sliding past its shield and slicing its head off.

Rushing toward the hole the droideka had popped out from Anakin slipped the pack off his back.

"Hey, did you get them?" A B1 asks its downed fellows as the elevator rises.

"Catch!" His crazy general says smugly as he tosses the pack at the B1, who catches it in confusion.

"Huh? Wha?!" Rex can feel the force shove that sends the elevator back down as Ahsoka tosses her entire pack of grenades down the hole as well.

_'__Oh, hell.'_ They did _not_ need that many explosives.

"Come on, Rex!" Anakin grinned.

_'__What?'_ He felt the force swell.

"Up and away!" Ahsoka lifted him off his feet before Anakin tossed him off the wall.

_'__Fuckin jetii!'_ He cursed internally, even as he bit the inside of his cheek so as not to make a sound. The two of them jumped after him, diving for the ground without a care in the world. The wall exploded above them and Rex braced himself for the shock wave, which slammed into his body and sent him toward the ground even faster. Now, he knew he could have denied them, used his force abilities to counter what they were trying to do, but all of the CFS' had sworn to only use their abilities to save their lives or the lives of their brothers. Hell, some brothers had made him promise not to save them if it gave himself away, so they could protect their force sensitive brothers from being discovered. He wasn't about to throw that away because he was pissed off.

As the ground got closer he tensed, ready to catch himself if the two jetii did not. He was barely a foot from the ground when he finally came to a stop and was set down, none too gently. He knew why, as force rose to shove the falling debris away from them, but he didn't have to like it. Letting out a disgruntled sigh he rose to his feet, going over his mental checklist to make sure he hadn't been injured.

After taking a couple of calming breaths he turns to the two force users. "Next time just tell me to jump." Ahsoka turns to him, concern and confusion all over her face.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Anakin asks with what he must have thought was a playful smile that just ended up looking arrogantly smug. Rex clenches his hands into fists and mentally says _'__fuck it.'_ Give the general a piece of his mind. But Anakin is talking before Rex gets a chance to speak. "Come on, we can't keep Obi-wan waiting." Rex breathes out slowly and lets it go.

"You heard him, lads, let's go!" Anakin dashes off toward the rubble of the broken wall as the men follow. But Ahsoka doesn't follow. Instead she puts a hand on his arm.

"Rex? I'm sorry we didn't warn you, there wasn't really any time. But… I'll try to tell you next time." Putting a hand over hers he feels his temper calm considerably. Ahsoka is still just a kid. A kid with a poor example for a teacher. He squeezes her hand reassuringly.

"Thanks kiddo. I think we'd all appreciate that. Not everyone has the force." She nods, looking thoughtful before Anakin calls to ask her for help moving the rest of the debris out of their path.

They'd just made their way out of the canyon when Ahsoka pointed ahead at something in the sky. "Look! What's that?" Aiming his pistol at the flying figures he slowly lowered it again when he realized the bugs were on fire. He knew that General Mundi had a group of flame troopers with him and felt relieved. None of them had been able to make contact for a while.

"Master Mundi, do you read me?"

"We are here, Skywalker. We took a slight detour that out us out of communications for a bit." Thank the stars, at least General Mundi would be able to veto any bad plan Anakin came up with.

"This has been a day for detours, master." Rex glanced at his brothers, they all looked like they wanted to groan and roll their eyes as much as he did.

"Indeed. But now the road is clear. I can see the landing zone, it does not look good." Anakin's expression turned grim and Rex found he couldn't fault him for it. Cody and the 212th were over there… along with Liera.

"Admiral, we're at the breaking point. You've got to get some fighters down here." And here he thought his General couldn't do understatement. He was wrong.

"You're in luck, General, we have one squadron available." With the jetii's attention on the comms Rex gently prodded the bond he shared with his brother. Rather than the small trickle he normally felt he was surprised to find it almost completely open.

_'__Rex? You were out of range. I've dropped the protocol. All the High Generals know about us already, including Obi-wan and General Mundi. Raise hell, vodika.'_ Rex's mouth fell open and his eyes went wide in surprise. Pinging Appo, Kano, and Kicker he waits until they're all listening on the private line before he speaks.

_"__Cody has dropped the Ranov'la protocol. Keep it under wraps until we rendezvous with the 212th."_ There was a beat of silence before Kano started laughing. _"__Acknowledge."_ He barked.

"Loud and clear, _Alor'ad._" Appo replied first.

"I hear you, _Alor'ad._" Was Kicker's response.

"S-sorry, _Alor'ad_, ac-acknowledged." And there was Kano with his odd sense of humour, he hadn't stopped laughing yet.

"Kano? Are you okay?" He glanced over to see Ahsoka looking at the trembling trooper with worry. She was a sweet child.

"I'm fine, Commander. Just catching my breath." The padawan stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowing as if she could discern the truth, before she finally stepped back with a smile.

"Okay, good."

By the time time General Mundi and his troops meet up with them Kano has finally stowed his humour. Rex signed at Jet, letting him know that if he has any force sensitives in their number that the Commander has allowed them to use their abilities, but requested that they wait until they meet up with the 212th. Jet takes a moment but responded positively. It was one less thing to worry about.

"Let's go. We must aid Master Kenobi." General Mundi's soft voice called out to them. Rex checked his weapons and prepared for a long trek to the landing zone.

[Cody]

Closing the mental bond he and his younger brother shared he focused back on the battlefield around him, expression stern. He'd already stopped two potential disasters but with his brothers no longer holding back they were devastating the opposition. The Geonosians had no idea what they had unleashed upon themselves, a thought that gave Cody a grim satisfaction.

Seeing Obi-wan constantly throwing himself into the fight made him tense. His suicidal jetii ignored his own wounds and spent his time saving troopers, helping Liera swoop in and drag them back for healing. He itched to jump into the fray, to shadow Obi-wan and enact retribution on anything that dared hurt the normally gentle man. But he knew his place. He was a Commander. He couldn't go rushing into danger without a good reason.

One of the AT-TE's faltered, catching his attention. The gunner was being assaulted by an enemy soldier. Raising his hand he swatted the bug off the trooper with the force. He probably used more pressure than he needed to, the bug slammed into the ground in a broken heap. But Cody was getting tired of feeling his brothers dying and the hordes of flying enemies bearing down on them.

"Reinforcements!" Someone yelled over the comm. Turning back he heard the sound of low flying ships and let out a relieved sigh.

His comm crackled. "We've got you, Commander." A small smile crossed his lips.

_"__Ruus'alor Riddle, excellent timing. Feel free to join your brothers in letting loose."_ There was a faint surprised curse and Cody smirked.

_"__Acknlowledged, Al'verde. Let's confuse some bugs."_ The fighter squadron soared overhead, splitting up to attack the enemy surrounding them. One fighter in particular shimmered for a moment before three more of them appeared, as if from thin air. There was a cheer coming the men as the enemy broke and retreated.

"I believe we're about to have some guests, Commander." Came the soft lilting voice of his jetii.

"Rex is close by, they should be arriving soon."

"I should have noticed that before, you have a force bond with the good Captain?" Cody snorted.

"I have a force bond with all my siblings." Though he kept most of them closed unless it was an emergency. He didn't need them faltering on the battlefield whenever he had a particularly bad vision.

A few minutes later Obi-wan joined him, with Liera tagging along behind. It was almost like watching a master and padawan duo, although if he said so out loud he was certain there would be objections from the both of them. The young woman's face was carefully blank but he could see the pain around her eyes… she was already mourning the lost _vode_. She stood nearby, hair covered in sand and armor stained red.

"What happened to you guys?" As Skywalker and General Mundi's group finally arrived he saw the young woman perk up slightly from the corner of his eye.

"I could ask you the same thing." Skywalker and Tano passed the medic as she zeroed in on Jaig Squad. Instantly she has her hands against Rex's chest plate and is muttering angrily in that musical language of hers. He can feel his brother's surprised amusement before it melts into something more tender. Cody swallows and turns back to the conversation at hand.

"Where the hell did these other jedi come from!?" Skywalker asks heatedly as Tano looks around, eyes wide and mouth agape. Obi-wan and General Mundi share a look.

"That's not for me to say, Cody?" Hearing his name in that cultured tone makes his heart beat a little faster but he pushes the feeling aside. Now was not the time.

"With my authority as the senior Commander I ordered the men to cease the _Ranov'la_ lockdown protocols." Skywalker frowned, crossing his arms and glaring at him. "In layman's terms, I told our force sensitive troops to stop shielding. Although not everyone obeyed that command." He signed at Rex and his _vod'ika_ sent him an annoyed nudge. A moment later there were four more force signatures. Skywalker choked on air and whipped around so fast he almost tripped over his long legs in an effort to stare at the captain.

"Rex! You're _force sensitive_!?" Cody bit his lip hard in an effort to keep himself from laughing. He swore that Skywalker had squeaked there for a moment. He could feel waves of smug satisfaction from his brother and sent him an admonishing nudge, although since Rex could feel his amusement it didn't do much.

"Yes, Sir. As are a select few of my brothers." He motioned toward Appo, Kano, and Kicker, who were also quite amused.

"It is remarkable that we did not notice this for so long. How, pray tell, did you find out Master Kenobi?" Anakin spun around, glaring at Obi-wan, and Cody's good mood dimmed. If the man started yelling like a spoiled child again he wouldn't hold his tongue this time.

"Cody and I share a powerful ability. Because of that I could sense whenever he fell into a powerful force trance. I also have spent more of my leisure time around the troops getting to know them." Obi-wan tilted his head in Anakin's direction and the man deflated slightly. It was well known that Skywalker had a tendency to disappear whenever on Coruscant, of course it was an open secret amongst the vode that he was off to see the Senator.

"What about you, Master Mundi? How long have you known?" The Cerean shook his head.

"I only learned of this development recently, thanks to Master Ti." Cody smiled. In all the rush to begin the battle he had forgotten to tell Rex what had happened.

_"__One of the cadets was having dream visions of being a jetii. General Ti took little Nova as her padawan."_ He explained over the internal comm.

_"__Good for the kid. Did buir object at all?" _Cody crossed is arms and signed a negative, his hand hidden slightly by his arms.

"What ability do you have?" Skywalker asked, tone bordering on demanding.

"Anakin, leave the poor man alone. We have more important things to discuss." Obi-wan said with a sigh, pressing a hand to his head. As if she had been summoned Liera appeared and pressed her fingers against the man's temple, frowning slightly.

"Stop pushing yourself." She admonished, Cody was inclined to agree.

"In any case," said his crazy jetii, clearing his throat. "Our combined forces should be enough to take out the shield generator. Anakin, you'll need to take a small squad through the shield, as close as you can get to the gun emplacements. From there you'll be able to temporarily jam their scanners so they are unable to target incoming attacks. Once the tanks knock out the shields Master Mundi and I can bring the rest of the troops in the remaining gunships." Skywalker grins.

"Consider it done, master." Cody looks at Rex, Rex's helmet tilts slightly in acceptance. He'll keep the crazy knight in check. It's all they can really do.

[Ahsoka]

Once Rex has picked everyone who's coming along Liera makes sure none of them are injured before giving Kix a hug. Sidling over to Rex she looks up at him with a wide grin. She hears a quiet snort and feels his amusement clear in the force. It's really surprising! She never would have guessed that Rex was force sensitive but now that she can feel him, she believes it. After all the times he's seemed to know exactly when they were about to be attacked, or dodged something that should have hit him, she really should have guessed it a long time ago.

"So, what kinda stuff can you do? Do you have a lightsaber?" He lets out a mock huff of annoyance but it's all in good fun.

"I have heightened intuition, Cody calls it my danger sense, and I can reinforce my body. Other than that? Most of us can move things with the force, sense each other over long distances, and a lot of other things that seem pretty normal for jedi. As for a lightsaber… no. Although I've used one before I don't have my own." She could hear a wistful note in his voice and wanted to snicker. It was obvious that he wanted one.

"Does this mean you can spar with me if we get you your own lightsaber?" Rex laughed.

"Sure, although I don't think the jedi would let us. Since we aren't jedi." Ahsoka stopped bouncing, a thoughtful look coming over her face. She hadn't even thought of that. For some reason she just expected they'd been secretly raised as jedi and hid it for some reason. Speaking of…

"Why did you hide for so long?" She felt, rather than heard, Rex let out a sigh. He turned toward the commander.

_"__Ori'vod, rejorhaa'ir kaysh tion'jor." _She scrunched her nose at him. She sometimes forgot that they spoke a different language, since they rarely used it around her. Usually they'd just speak over their private comms.

"Kind of busy, _vodika_." The commander said, waving him off absentmindedly. He crossed his arms, cocking a hip. It was more dramatic thanks to the kama he wore. That word Ahsoka definitely knew. If anyone called it a skirt Rex would get revenge in the most creative way.

"Fine. You've heard about the Kaminoans? Well, when some of our brothers were caught being able to use the force the Kaminoans… didn't take kindly to it. One of the trainers found out and informed the others. Together they stopped what the Kaminoans were doing and started to train us to use the force. But they were worried the jedi, or the GAR, would take advantage of us. So they taught us to hide it and only use it in an emergency." He shrugged nonchalantly but she could feel some of the darker emotions from the men around her. None of them liked Kaminoans very much and the idea that someone would try to take advantage of them… it felt wrong.

"We'll protect you guys. All of you guys." She promised, stepping forward for a hug. Rex relaxed, opening his arms and giving her a gentle squeeze before letting her go.

"Ahsoka, we're almost ready to go." She frowned at her master, feeling his simmering anger in the force.

"Coming, master!"

[Slick]

With the CFS' unleashed upon the bugs and all of the jedi focused on one objective it hadn't taken them long to destroy the factory and capture the bugs. Unfortunately he got clipped with laser fire just before the end to hostilities. Laying on a cot in the med tent he watched the force healer flitting around to each of the vode. He knows that his own wounds aren't that bad, so she wouldn't be coming to help him for a while, but one of the medics had jammed him full of painkillers anyway so he could wait.

Across from him he sees her tense over one of the beds and blinks as she sags slightly. Carefully she folds the man's hands over his chest then slowly, reverently, she takes the man's helmet from the ground beneath the cot and sets it on his chest. _"__Faas nihar juehaa. Meialhaas hiif aouul lalleea."_ The words flow from her tongue like music on the wind. Slick frowns.

"What does it mean?" He really didn't mean to ask the question out loud but the painkillers were messing with his head. She looked over at him with a sad smile.

"It means- your life is gone, but your spirit will be remembered… Or perhaps it's more like 'your spirit will remain as long as we remember.' It's a little hard to translate, since part of the prayer is felt only through the force." Slick swallowed hard. It wasn't common among the vode but there were a few of them, him included, who wanted nothing to do with the force. There was just something inherently terrifying about someone being able to move him against his will. He hated it.

"Where is it from?" Anything to get away from a lecture on the force.

"The people I was born to. They believe that the spirits of the dead are always around watching over their loved ones. Waiting for the day they can be reunited in the afterlife. Sometimes if a particularly powerful or intelligent child is born they will say that the child is one of those spirits reborn. That the spirit loved their descendants so much they came back to guide them." Coming closer she reached out for him, he couldn't hide the flinch fast enough. Her hand stopped mere inches from his chest plate, her unnaturally bright eyes aglow. "I promise I will not use the force on you if it makes you uncomfortable. I am trained as a normal medic." Looking at the bloodstains on her armor, he can believe it. He nods.

While she works he can see thoughtful looks on a few of the vode. There's no doubt they heard her speaking of her home planet's beliefs and found it very similar to their own.

_"__Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la."_ He muttered under his breath. She looked up from her task, staring him in the eyes, and nodded.

"Kiles. His name was Kiles." Slick's mouth went dry. Even with the armor markings there were a lot of brothers who preferred to keep to the simple designs shared by the entire battalion, how she knew who he was despite that baffled him.

"Kiles." He agreed, committing the name to memory. Once she moves on, telling him to stay off his feet and to eat only broth for the next while, Slick laid back fully and stared at the ceiling.

Slick would readily agree that he was a grumpy hardass. He didn't like to talk more than necessary and he wasn't a fan of people with bubbly or excitable personalities. He thought they were a pain in the shebs. He was also wary of the jetii and even tended to avoid the force sensitive brothers, because the force gave him the heebie-jeebies. Even with all of that he knew when to give someone their due. He might not want anything to do with the healer but he could admit, at least to himself, that she was someone worthy of respect.

* * *

Vod- Sibling, Comrade  
Vode- Siblings, comrades in arms  
Vod'ika- Little sibling  
Ori'vod- Elder sibling  
Ranvo'la- Secret  
Al'verde- Commander  
Haran- Hell  
Gev! Vaabir meg ni sirbur- Pack it in! Do what I say.  
Alor'ad- Captain  
Ruus'alor- Sergeant  
Rejorhaa'ir kaysh tion'jor- Tell her why.  
Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la- Not gone, merely marching far away. A Mandalorian tribute to a dead comrade.  
Shebs- Ass


	19. Interlude 2

May the Force be with you!  
For May 4th I've decided to post this bit of the next chapter that I've already finished.

* * *

Getting rid of the guns and dropping the shields wasn't as difficult as he first thought it'd be. Not with the four extra force users at his back using their ridiculous abilities to stomp the Geonosians flat. Seeing Sergeant Kano freeze a group of bugs was almost as unsettling as seeing Rex using an Ataru move to flip through the air and headshot five enemies before landing. His speed and accuracy was much higher than should have been humanly possible. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Anakin could feel them in the force, each of them like tightly wound springs. Their power was just ready and waiting to be used, pressing against the constraints they placed on themselves. Gripping his lightsaber tighter in his hand he cut down another enemy, his anger simmering beneath the surface. Why had no one told him about this? Obi-wan had known for months and the men had to have known for years to be this good. He grit his teeth and tried to keep calm but all he could think about was how everyone was keeping secrets from him!

Did they not trust him? Rex had been by his side through almost the entirety of the war. He trusted him with his own life and the life of his padawan. So why? Almost unbidden he heard Liera's words echo through his mind. It was like a bucket of sand being thrown on a fire, suffocating the anger until it was nothing more than a vague feeling in the back of his mind. _'Your emotions are part of you, Anakin. You can't push them aside and ignore them or let them build up until they explode. You'll hurt yourself and others that way.'_ He knew that. He knew that his temper could get the better of him. He'd seen the aftermath of his anger when Liera had collapsed in front of his eyes. Not to mention she'd been right about Obi-wan. But he was so damned tired of people lying and keeping secrets!

He needed to talk to Rex, to get to the bottom of this. Right now he had to focus on completing the mission. Obi-wan and Master Mundi were counting on him.

Once everything had settled down and they were finally establishing a base of operations he sent Ahsoka to get orders from Obi-wan and commed Rex to meet him privately. He waited, taking slow breaths and keeping himself calm.

"You wanted to speak with me, General?" Turning to look over at his captain he couldn't help feeling his anger rise. Rex might have dropped some of his shields but there was still something muffling his presence. It was like he was trying to hide from him.

"Why didn't you tell about this?" Rex stiffened, body frozen like an animal when it knows a predator is watching.

"This, Sir?" Anakin growled.

"You're karking _force sensitive_! Why didn't you tell me?" The captain watched him quietly for a moment.

"We were ordered not to reveal this information, Sir." That straight laced military tone was starting to grate on Anakin's nerves.

"Dammit Rex! Just drop the military thing for a karking minute." It was like he'd suddenly said a magic phrase. The man's demeanor shifted and it made Anakin flinch back.

"I'll take that as permission to speak freely, and that this conversation will be off the record." Slipping his helmet off he clipped it to his belt and looked directly into Anakin's eyes. Rex's face was a blank expressionless mask. Only his eyes betrayed any emotion and what Anakin saw there… it felt like being watched by a wary predator. "What do you want me to say? That I was told to keep my force sensitivity hidden in case the Kaminii decided they wanted to 'test' me? To torture me to death like some of my brothers because I _'wasn't like the others?'_ I was already in danger of being decommissioned because of my blonde hair."

Anakin's mouth fell open slightly in surprise. Rex was passionate and blunt but he had never been this… vitriolic. Right now he was looking at someone who was filled with bitter resentment… it was like looking at himself.

"What about the fact that we, my brothers and I, are still property? We're classified as military assets that belong to the Republic. What would the people in charge do when they found out their army of manufactured soldiers could be force sensitive like the jedi? They could order us to do things the jedi won't do and we would have to obey. Of course that's only if they didn't order our deaths because they were terrified they couldn't control us." Disgust was dripping from Rex's words and Anakin had no idea what to say in response.

His mind was awhirl of thoughts and emotions. He knew from listening to Padme complain about some of the other Senators that there were still people who thought of the clones as nothing more than living droids. _'Slaves.'_ His mind helpfully supplied.

"Rex, the jedi would never-"

"The jedi didn't even know we existed for ten whole years. They weren't there to stop the Kaminii from killing my brothers." Rex swallowed hard, hands clenching. "Jedi aren't supposed to have attachments. Even if they knew about us what would they have done? Put us in with the other force sensitive children? We grew two years for every standard year and were created to fight as soldiers." He let out a heavy sigh, looking almost tired. "Besides… not every jedi sees us as people either." Anakin's eyes widened and he felt sick to his stomach.

"That can't be. We're jedi! We're not supposed to have attachments, but we do care." The captain gave rusty chuckle.

"Because the Force guided you." Anakin blinked and chided himself quietly. He was still talking to Rex as if he was a normal human. But his captain had felt the pull of the force. He knew that sometimes sacrifices had to be made.

"Rex… you've been with me this whole time. Don't you trust me at all?" Closing his eyes the man sighed, his face pinched as if he were in pain.

"…Anakin. You're a good General. You lead from the front and try to keep as many of us alive as you can. Even if your plans are often crazy. I understand that sometimes those reckless decisions you make in the heat of the moment come from the force guiding you. But there are times when you don't think your actions through and it gets my brothers hurt or even killed." Anakin wanted to deny it, to get angry, but the look in Rex's eyes stopped him. There was a deep seated pain etched into the lines around his eyes. A kind of pain Anakin had felt keenly before.

"Do you even know their names?" Rex asked him quietly. "How about Adzic, Crosseye, Yorkie, or Tumble? They died when the gunship crashed. Seether, Tad, Uli, Dice, Tobril, or Summit? They were killed by the bugs and clankers. What the hell am I going to do when Gav finds out two of his batchmates are dead? Or Pulse when he finds out his_ Riduur_ is gone? He and Adzic only just performed their vows two months ago…" His shoulders drooped and he looked so, so, damned tired.

"Rex… I-I'm sorry…" Force, he felt like the galaxy's most selfish asshole right now. Hadn't he been trying to do better lately? Listening to Obi-wan's advice, going to talk with Liera about his past and feelings, trying to be more open and understanding of the men in his battalion. "I just… I'm so tired of people hiding things and lying to me. I don't… I don't trust people easily and even though I know you wouldn't betray me there's this nagging voice in the back of my head that just…" His mouth snapped shut and he stared, wide eyed, at the captain. He hadn't meant to say that. He hadn't meant to say any of that. But kark, Rex looked so defeated.

Looking directly into the captain's eyes, still difficult for him even after all this time, he saw the man shed some of his fierce anger. It was slowly being replaced with warmth and understanding. "I understand, more than you know." There was a flicker of anger in the man's eyes for a moment but Anakin got the distinct impression it wasn't aimed at him. "How about this, then? No more secrets between us. We can start over from the beginning. You'll be a _vod_." Anakin felt his chest tighten at the word. _'Brother. He wants me to be his brother!'_

The man took a deep breath. "I'm Rex Kurshi'cin, son of Haati Kurchi'cin and Jango Fett. I was born on Kamino as one of millions of brothers, as part of their future army. Everyone calls me captain out of habit but my actual rank on record is Major. I lead the 501st with my team, Jaig Squad, under my Jedi General and Padawan Commander. I'm a trained force sensitive, but not a jedi."

Rex grinned at him, head held high and posture confident- proud. "Your turn_ vod_." Anakin swallowed, feeling suddenly vulnerable and exposed.

"Uh… I'm Anakin Skywalker, son of Shmi Skywalker and… and the Force." Rex's eyebrows rose slightly. "I was born a slave on Tatooine and freed by Qui-gon Jinn, Obi-wan's old master." Rex sucked in a breath and Anakin bit his bottom lip. The men hadn't known he was a slave before becoming a jedi. "I'm a Jedi Knight and the General of the 501st Legion." He took a deep breath. "I have a Padawan named Ahsoka and she's… she's almost like a daughter to me." His face flushed red at the admission but Rex just stood there, steadfast and nonjudgmental. Gently urging him to go on even as his force presence began to give off warmth, understanding, and support. Anakin almost choked on his next words. "I have a wife. Her name is Padme."

He looked over at Rex and frowned. He didn't look all that surprised. "…you know about that already? How?" Rex let out a bark of laughter.

"_Vod_, the entire GAR knows about you and the Senator. I think that only Cody, me, and a few others know you're actually married though. Cody saw it in a vision and was fussing about it for days, trying to make sure General Kenobi didn't find out about it. We've been covering for you two for a while now." Anakin felt warmth flooding his veins. How could he have been so blind? These men cared about him. They wanted to treat him like one of them but he'd been pushing them away. So wrapped up in his own mind.

"Rex… I'm sorry for how I've been acting. I was so caught up in everything… this damn war…" He looked down at the ground, feeling ashamed. A hand on his shoulder made him look back up.

"It's okay, _vod_. Do you know what _cin vhetin_ means?" He shook his head. "_Cin vhetin_ is the Mandalorian concept of a blank slate. When you become _Mando'ad_ your past is wiped away. Nothing you were before that day matters. But everything you do afterward does." Anakin frowned in confusion. "I'm not saying become a _Mando'ad_." Rex snickered. "But why don't we make today a different kind of _cin vhetin_? Do you promise to do better in the future? To try and change who you are right now?" He swallowed. The air was trembling around them, as if it were alive. This was something important, he could feel it.

"Yes. I-I think I want to start over." Rex nodded, squeezing his shoulder.

"Okay. Welcome, _vod_. No matter what happens you're family now. You'll always have brothers at your back." Anakin smiled. It felt like something cold that seeped into his bones long ago was finally starting to lose its grip. They remained there for a quiet moment before their comms beeped. Rex chuckled.

"Back to work." Anakin snickered, feeling his eyes water slightly. They started the walk back to camp when Anakin had a thought.

"If the whole GAR knows about me and Padme… do you think Obi-wan knows?" Rex snorted in amusement.

"Of course he does, he notices everything." Rex chuckled. "Except when he needs to eat, or sleep, or when someone is pining over him." Anakin stopped, confused. He looked Rex up and down for a moment.

"Please don't tell me you like Obi-wan?" There was no way. Anakin had seen the way Rex looked at Liera. Sure he wasn't as observant as Obi-wan but the way the captain looked at the healer… it was the same way he looked at his angel. There was just something tender and precious about the warmth between them that he understood deeply. Did this mean that Rex had a thing for Liera _and_ Obi-wan? Should he talk to Obi-wan about it?

Rex snorted in amusement and shook his head. "Me? No. General Kenobi is a great man and someone I respect a lot. But I'm not interested in him that way. Although a surprising number of _vode_ do find him attractive. I don't think you have to worry about any of them hitting on the general though. No one would dare. He's a Jedi High General." Anakin let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Besides, if anyone did hit on General Kenobi they'd have to face the Marshall Commander's wrath. Cody can be brutal on the mats when you've pissed him off." It took him a moment to understand what Rex was getting at but when he did he choked on his words.

"W-wait! Cody? _Cody_ likes Obi-wan? But he's like a brick wall of logic and tidiness a-and cold calculations!" Rex's shoulders shook with mirth as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"You haven't seen him really angry yet. Or drunk. He's pretty bad when he's drunk." Anakin hadn't even realized Cody got drunk. The man was almost as bad as Fox for being such a stickler for the rules.

They walked in silence for a moment, his mind reeling. "Anakin." Wow, he was still not used to that, Rex calling him by name. But it was comforting all the same. "No more secrets. We have to trust each other if we're going to get through this stars cursed war." Rex stopped and held out his arm. Anakin reached for his hand but the captain shook his head and clasped their forearms. "It would also be nice if you listened to me a little more from now on." There was a bit of playfulness in his tone but his eyes were serious. Anakin couldn't help being confused. Rex rolled his eyes. "I have the Force. If I give you a warning I damn well mean it." He nodded, contemplating the man's words.

"I'll try, Rex." It was the least he could do for his _vod_.

* * *

Been having a bad couple of weeks. My fiance lost his job thanks to everything that's going on right now so we've been a little stressed. But we'll make due.  
I hope you all stay safe out there!


	20. Catacombs

Liera spent the next five hours helping the medics to ensure they didn't lose any more men. They failed, of course. Some of them were just far too injured for intervention. The most she could do for them was help them pass gently, without pain. They lost sight of Pulse for a time and it was only later that she found out he had tried to take his own life. Her heart froze and her blood went cold in her veins. It was only due to a patrol changing their route that anyone was able to stop him before he could pull the trigger. The loss of Adzic made him inconsolable and it cut into her soul to see the grumpy corporal sedated and strapped down so he wouldn't hurt himself.

"Miss, we need you over here!" She shook off the grief that threatened to overwhelm her and focused on saving the men who could be saved. She would mourn the loss of these bright spirits when the battle was over.

After a quick nap someone commed and asked her to report to Kenobi in the hangar. Master Unduli had gone missing. Rolling out of bed she put on her armor as quickly as possible and headed for the hangar. She gave Kenobi and Skywalker a small, tight, smile and stepped into the transport ship.

"Liera." She looked over at Kenobi. "Master Unduli was following Poggle's trail to an old abandoned temple. During her holocall she was attacked and we lost communication. We're going to need your help finding her." She nodded.

When they landed she practically threw herself out the door. She felt mild amusement and concern from the men and gave them a look of disapproval that must not have been very heated since one of the men had to stifle a chuckle.

They entered the dusty temple and Skywalker ordered the men to spread out to search for any clues. Stepping further into the ruins she sat on the ground and closed her eyes. The first spirits she felt were Skywalker, Kenobi, Cody, and Gearshift. All who sang with the force. Although she had only spoken with Gearshift twice she had memorized all of the clones force signatures and names. The next spirits she felt were those of the other clones, all focused on their duty. She vaguely heard Kenobi and Skywalker talking but she pushed that perception away and focused solely on her mind.

Down below, right beneath their feet, there were small flickers of… something. It felt sentient but… not. Every once in a while there would be this pulse and the small flickers would pulse in time with them. Gasping when a hand touched her shoulder she looked up into Kenobi's worried eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Help me up." Once on her feet she walked over to the stone lid that had been moved. "There's something down there. Whatever they are they're small and semi-sentient. I think it's part of the Hive mind. So be prepared for the enemies to be a lot smaller than the Geonosians we've been fighting up until now…" She stopped, folding her arms across her chest. "Could they be some type of larvae? Does anyone know the growth stages of Geonosians?" Kenobi was looking at her, his eyes lit with curiosity.

"I don't think anyone has seen or heard of Geonosian young. Are you sure that's what you sensed?" She nodded as the men spread out further.

"That is one ugly bug." Turning she looked over at Kote before following his gaze up to a stone sculpture above the large doorway. It was a Geonosian with a strange hooded carapace.

"I haven't seen one that looks like that before." Skywalker said thoughtfully.

"I don't believe anyone has. It could be the Geonosian Queen." Liera shuddered.

"The Bugs have a Queen?" Skywalker asked with a hint of disgust.

"Hmm. Rumored. But we haven't found any proof of her existence." Stepping up next to the two of them she looked up at the sculpture and frowned.

"I think it's highly probable they do have a Queen." They looked at her and she looked at the two of them before explaining. "They're a Hive. Research into all hive minded sentient species have shown that at least eighty-four percent of hive minded species are sexually diamorphic with the females having the ability to metamorphose into a sole fertile queen." She received a blank look from Skywalker and a considering one from Kenobi. "You have to take advanced biology and genetics courses to become a healer." Skywalker still looked confused, although there was now an appreciation in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Just don't ask me about astrophysics or navigation." She mumbled bashfully.

Kenobi walked over to the large opening and looked down the stairs. "It's this way." Kote ordered the men forward and they all headed down the stairs into the dark.

Skywalker and Kenobi lit their blue lightsabers and she chuckled. "I think this might work a little better." Flicking on her own lightsabers she held Haven out to Kenobi. The man looked at her in surprise but respectfully took the saber. Liera already knew that her adegans approved of the man, otherwise he wouldn't have felt them resonate with her when he gave them back months ago. Turning she held out Guardian to Skywalker, feeling that it would be better suited to his personality. Guardian was the more aggressive of the two and fiercely loyal.

"No, you should keep a weapon for yourself." She smiled but respected his choice. Guardian hummed with approval as she held up the blade to light their path.

"Miss, please move back here." She looked up at Kote and felt his steady determination. It was not a request. Stepping back she let most of the men move ahead of her, leaving a few for the rearguard. She knew her place as a healer and as someone who was not a part of the chain of command.

As they walked she felt outward with her senses, feeling for any signs of life. Everything down in the tunnels was so dead, dark, and dry it made a shiver run down her spine. She had never been afraid of enclosed spaces, or the dark, but the idea that there was something in their with them that she couldn't identify had all of her senses on high alert.

"This leads to a dead end." Kote stopped and knelt next to a lower opening in the wall. "This one goes down the furthest. Sir, I'd say that's our best bet." Kenobi knelt next to the commander and looked into the darkened space.

"I'll go first." Said Kenobi. Crawling through the tunnel was not Liera's idea of a good time. If something were to happen it would be far too easy to become trapped. Once she was on the other side she let her senses wander while they waited for the others. She snapped back when one of the men put a hand on her shoulder.

They followed the tunnels, going deeper and deeper into the earth. She wasn't sure how long they'd been walking when Kenobi's comm chirped and a holo of Master Unduli appeared.

"If you're following me you must leave this place! Just get out! I repeat; fal-" The call cut out suddenly and Kenobi put the comm away.

"She must be close by. Come on!" Kenobi called, preparing to rush ahead.

"Wait!" The man halted at her cry, as did the soldiers. They all turned to look at her, tensions high.

"If we rush we'll get lost and separated! That won't help Master Unduli. Let's be smart about this." Kenobi and Skywalker frowned at her but she stood her ground. "Give me Haven." She held out her hand for her lightsaber and Kenobi handed it back to her obediently. Taking point she sent out her senses and felt the same small pulses she'd felt from above. "There are enemies ahead. If we'd have rushed we would have walked right into an ambush." She gave Kenobi and Skywalker a disapproving look. At least one of them had the good grace to look abashed.

"This way." She set a quick pace but it wasn't the blind dash the other jedi would have set. It's what ended up saving their lives.

They entered a large chamber and she stopped, motioning the others to wait. "I can sense them but…" A spine tingling screech from above alerted her to the presence of the enemy and she dove out of the way as they launched themselves at her position. Stunned when full sized Geonosians attacked she kicked out at one before slashing it with her lightsabers. It didn't even hesitate to launch itself at her again.

"Kenobi!" She yelled, eyes wide with terror. "They're already dead!" Decapitating one of them she watched it's body fall and felt a rush of relief. "Central nervous system!" Seeing the clones struggling she dodged passed two Geonosians, leaving them in a stumbling heap, and stopped next to the commander. "Kote, catch!" She tossed Guardian at him and without thinking he grabbed the weapon and ignited it. The man only had a moment or two to show his surprise before he started cutting off heads with his jedi.

"Aim for that column! Everyone back into the tunnel behind us!" He called, pointing out a central support pillar. The men turned their attention to the column as they retreated back into the previous tunnel. The room collapsed in front of them, a billow of dust making her cough as she leaned against a stone wall.

"What were those things?" Skywalker asked breathlessly. "They just kept getting up again."

"I've heard stories of a Geonosian Hive mind so strong, so powerful, it can keep its connection to its warriors even after death." Skywalker's eyes went wide.

"That's impossible." Liera shook her head.

"No, it's not." She unhooked her canteen and took a sip of water to get the dust out of her mouth. After spitting she wiped her mouth and pushed off the wall. "Parasites. The larval stage of Geonosians must be some kind of parasite that can hijack a sentient's central nervous system. If you send electrical impulses through the brain you can make a corpse twitch." Skywalker was looking at her with fascinated horror. She hugged herself and shivered. "It's vile." While Liera respected all life she had never been particularly fond of insects. Even if some of them were fascinating, even beautiful. Things like worms or centipedes made her skin crawl.

"So you believe the stories are true and the Geonosians have a larval stage that can control dead sentients?" She let out a shuddering breath.

"If they work the way I believe they do then they can probably control the living as well. We have to inform the medics. If they can control other sentients then no one who leaves the planet can be considered safe." A dreadful silence followed her words and she felt terrible for the shock and fear that ran through the clones. They already had such little control over their lives. Bodily autonomy was sacred to the clones, to think that someone could just take it away at a moments notice…

"Miss." Kote held out Guardian to her and she smiled. Reaching for his hand she curled his fingers around the weapon. She could feel how much her dear friend liked the commander and knew he would need it. Normally Guardian only liked those who had at least some affection or sense of duty toward her, someone who would protect her, but it seemed to like Kote in general.

"Hold onto Guardian for now. You'll need it to protect your brothers… and Obi-wan." There was a mild feeling of embarrassment and fierce protectiveness before the man's emotional shields snapped back into place. Liera tried to hide her smile but was pretty sure she failed.

"I've tried to call for reinforcements but we're too deep underground. Hm. Normally I would send someone but if you're right about this then anyone we send is a potential victim that will be turned against us. We should all stick close together."

"I agree, Sir. Miss." Kote turned back to look at her and she bit her cheek when Kenobi noticed the lightsaber at is hip. There was a look of surprise then curious consideration. "Can you stop those things if they infect one of us." Liera frowned.

"I… may be able to. I can try to disrupt the electrical signals it sends and draw it out but that could be very dangerous. Please be careful, I don't want to have to try." There was so much that could go wrong. She'd rather not risk it.

"We'll be careful, Miss. Can any of you sense General Unduli?" The commander turned back to the group at large. Skywalker blinked at him for a moment then muttered something under his breath. Kenobi looked at him, mildly exasperated and amused.

"Her presence is faint, but she's in that direction." She pointed in the vague direction of the jedi master. Kote looked at his mapping system and found a tunnel that would lead them toward her location.

"This way."

[Cody]

The lightsaber now on his belt, normally where Obi-wan's would be whenever the lovable di'kut lost it, pulsed with the force. The moment his hand had closed around it in the middle of the fight he had felt it's near sentience probing his mind. It was unlike Haat'buir's green lightsaber or even the Dha'kad'au. Whatever it found inside him it rang with approval and urged him to fight, to protect all he held dear with both of his hands. It was very liberating.

At the front he checked the mapping system again and made a turn. One more tunnel crawl later and they entered a slightly wider corridor.

"The air is warmer here, we must be getting close." Obi-wan whispered, just loud enough the sound wouldn't travel up the tunnel.

"Ugh. Forget the heat, it smells down here." Skywalker coughed and Obi-wan warned him not to be so loud. Cody just thanked the filtering system in his buy'ce.

They saw light coming from the end of the tunnel and the jetii thumbed off their lightsabers. They slowed and crept around the edges of the jagged doorway. The scene that met them made him shudder involuntarily. A group of broken and shambling Geonosians were surrounding a giant, fat, slug like bug that he assumed was the queen that had been talked about earlier.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Cody wished Skywalker hadn't said that. Things tended to get worse whenever those words fell from the walking disaster's lips.

"That must be the queen." Obi-wan said as Liera came around and peeked into the room. Hew eyes glowed faintly and he could sense her doing something with the force.

"Any sign of Luminara?" Turning on his scanner he surveyed the room carefully.

"I see her. She's suspended near the throne."

"Perfect. What about Poggle?" Skywalker asked. Cody pursed his lips.

"He's speaking with the queen." Skywalker's expression shifted and Cody had to bite his tongue.

"Good. You take the soldiers, I'll take the queen." Of course he would. Selfish utreekov.

"Must you always rush into things?" Someone tried, and failed, to hide a snort. They all knew that Obi-wan was just as likely to rush headlong into battle as Skywalker was.

"Oh no. You don't actually want to talk to it, do you?"

"As a matter of fact I do." No… really? Cody sighed in the privacy of his helmet. "Anakin, Don't you wonder why they took Luminara captive? Why not just kill her?" Skywalker rolled his eyes.

"She's leverage, she's a hostage!" For once he was inclined to agree with Skywalker. Would wonders never cease?

"Leverage for what? No, there's something going on here and these… zombies are connected to it." Obi-wan said with stubborn finality. Even Skywalker seemed to know when he'd lost as his shoulders drooped and he finally caved to his former master's whim.

"Sir, I-" With a sudden sharp spike in the back of his mind the world before his eyes suddenly fell away. He was standing behind a pillar, watching Obi-wan and Skywalker talking to the bug queen. She had her corpse minions take away their lightsabers and threatened to mind-worm them. When the talk broke down and the generals made their move Cody and his brothers turned on their lights to startle and confuse the bugs. But of course it didn't work. The corpses couldn't really see them. They just kept coming and they had to break more pillars to cave the room in. They lost one brother to the cave in and one later running toward safety. He could feel the force thrumming with uncertainty and grief.

"-ody!" Someone hissed his name close to his ear and he realized his helmet had been pulled off. The two of them were back down the tunnel and away from the faint light of the queen's chamber. He looked into Obi-wan's worried eyes and gripped the man's forearm to steady himself.

"I'm back, Sir." Obi-wan relaxed and smiled at him in relief. Cody had to force down the urge to pull his jetii closer. "I know what the queen wants. Or at least what she'll say if you go into that room." The man's eyebrows rose. "She wants revenge, to use the jedi as hosts. The initial plan doesn't work… we lose two brothers." Obi-wan's grip tightens on him. "Those creatures are blind, flashing them with light isn't going to stop them."

"But it should stall the queen." Cody shook his head.

"No, they can function independently. We need to get in, grab the General, and get out without being noticed. Or take them all out at once." He saw the pained look in Obi-wan's eyes and sighed. Without thinking he tilted his head forward and pressed his forehead against his jetii's. He felt a spike of surprise before the man began to calm down again. "I know you want to preserve life whenever you can. But we don't have that option right now. We need to save General Unduli, she is our top priority." Obi-wan swallowed hard but Cody could feel his growing acceptance in the force.

"If you two are done over there we have a problem!" Hissed Skywalker. Obi-wan practically sprang away from him, like a cadet caught doing something they shouldn't. Cody sighed, gently pried his helmet from Obi-wan's grasp, and slipped it back on.

"What's the problem General?" Creeping back down the tunnel to where the others were hiding he saw Liera and Gearshift with their heads together.

"Commander. It looks like they're planning to use General Unduli to infiltrate the Jedi and take over GAR." Obi-wan's eyes rose as Gearshift explained.

"How do you know?" The man shifted, his helmet turning slightly toward Cody for approval. He nodded. Obi-wan already knew they were force sensitive, and he'd already explained their abilities. Under the circumstances his dini'la jetii probably just forgot.

"I can understand and speak Geonosian, Sir. I can understand and speak most languages as long as I'm exposed to it long enough. Except when I don't have the proper anatomy for it." Some languages were more than just spoken word, after all.

"I see." An awkward silence descended and no one spoke for a long moment.

"This is ridiculous. Get me close enough to the queen to touch her and I can stop the mind worms." That sudden statement was startling enough that everyone turned to look at the young healer. "I just need to disrupt the electrical signals she's giving off. Rather than shut them off completely and have the larvae become independent I can scramble the orders so they'll attack each other instead." Bright purple eyes shone in the darkness, determined and stubborn. Cody could now see why his little brother was so enamored with her. She was just as straight forward and crazy as he was.

"Know any tricks to keep from being detected?" She chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head.

"No. I'll need a distraction." Cody let out a slow breath.

"Looks like you'll get to speak with the queen after all." Skywalker looked between him and Obi-wan for a moment before silently throwing up his hands.

They all got ready to move and his dini'la jetii walked into the chamber as if this were a social call with tea and biscuits. Stars the man was infuriating. The banter between Obi-wan and Skywalker was similar to his vision but there was a different feeling in the air. Already he could feel things shifting around him and the strain from before was slowly melting away.

Following closely behind Liera, in case she needed some back up, they hid behind a pillar as Obi-wan began to speak with the giant bug. He was surprised the thing spoke Basic, even if it was still difficult to understand with the odd screech of rage thrown in. Liera tapped his arm twice to get his attention and he turned his attention to her. She motioned with her hands and he understood what she was getting at immediately. They snuck past the distracted corpse guards while Obi-wan tried to 'negotiate' the Geonosian queen's surrender.

When they were right next to the throne he laced his fingers together and braced himself. Liera put her foot on his hands and a hand on his shoulder. The moment she was ready he threw her with all his physical strength, only bolstered a little by the force. She flew in a graceful arc, flipping backward and landing behind the queen's crown like carapace. The queen began to shriek horribly and all the bugs started to go crazy.

Cody pulled out the lightsaber he'd been loaned but didn't turn it on, not yet. Suddenly everything went quite and there was a low thrum in the force that he sore he could actually hear. The corpse guards froze before they started to flail around. The next moment they were intent on attacking each other and Liera was stepping away from the dazed queen. She dropped down to the ground as Skywalker freed the captured General.

"That was a bold move. Was the talk letting me be infected really necessary?" Liera looked startled and quickly went to check on the General.

"We should do this outside, who knows how long those bugs will stay focused on each other." Skywalker tugged Poggle along while something squirmed in Obi-wan's hand. "Sir! Is that a mind controlling worm?" Why? Why did his jetii have to be so daft?

"It is, I wish to study it. It could prove helpful if we do find some of our men have been infected." With a disapproving tut Liera pulled out a small container and held her hand out for the worm. Obi-wan handed it over and he saw the look of utter disgust on her face before the worm went limp and she stuffed it into the container.

"You hold onto it, Kenobi. It's your science experiment." She couldn't get rid of the thing fast enough it seemed. Well, they now knew two of the healer's weaknesses. Flying and bugs.

"Let's move out!" He called, motioning a retreat with his hand so the brothers farther away could see. As a group they left the chamber, with their captive in tow. Poggle tried to screech something but Gearshift screeched and clicked back at him. The Seppie leader stared at the brother in confusion.

Cody was the last to leave the room. For a moment he wavered between being a proper Commander and doing what his Buire had always taught him. With a muttered curse he chose to be Kote and do what was best for his brothers and his cyare. Raising his carbine he quickly aimed and took the shot. A hole opened up in the middle of the Geonosian queen's head and he felt a wave of satisfaction. Liera was the only one to stop and turn back to look at him. He caught her eyes and saw a flash of confusion and concern. She must have felt the death of the queen.

"Go!" He commanded. She ran after the others.

"Pyro, set some charges. I want to bury this place when we're safely on the surface!" He didn't even listen for an affirmative. Drawing the lightsaber he cut down the corpse guards that had stopped fighting one another to follow them. With a shove of the force he pushed them all far back down the corridor and turned to jump up into the vertical shaft that would lead them to the surface.

When they were finally out he motioned for Pyro to detonate the charges They all felt the ground shift and buckle beneath them but it didn't give way. "Fill the hole!" He called to Gearshift. In tandem they used the force to throw as much rubble down the vertical shaft as they could. He was only mildly surprised when Obi-wan and General Luminara aided them. When the shaft was well and truly blocked he let himself collapse onto the ground for a short rest. His hands were shaking. Gearshift looked no better.

"Let me help. Kenobi, you see to Cody." He looked up when his name was spoken and saw Liera kneeling next to Gearshift, doing something to him to help quell the shakes. Obi-wan knelt next to him and placed a hand against his chest plate.

"Hm. It's not too bad. You haven't exhausted yourself. It's more like an adrenaline shock. It's been too long since you last used that amount of power, hasn't it?" Reaching up he gently wrapped his hand around Obi-wan's wrist, giving off a feeling of gratitude. The man looked at him, eyes widening in surprise, before his ears turned slightly red and he carefully pulled away. Safely hidden inside his bucket a broad grin had worked its way across Cody's face. There was hope after all.

The trip back from the ruined temple was a little tense. Liera went to every man and delved deep to see if anyone had somehow been infected. She said they were clean but they should be scanned anyway. Thankfully it had been declared safe enough to land the _Negotiator_. Which meant they had the medical equipment needed to scan for the damn worms.

Submitting to a scan, along with every brother who had set foot on Geonosis, he was cleared of the mind worm and allowed to crash in his own bunk. Although on the way out of medical he saw Helix and Vent arguing, which didn't fill him with confidence. If their two chief medical officers were arguing that heatedly over scans then it meant something was terribly wrong. He hesitated but knew there was nothing he could do for the time being. Not while the two of them were still arguing. All the medical jargon would go over his head. He'd wait for the report and search them out later. After a few good hours of sleep.

[Liera]

Once the scans had gone through and she knew that everyone was safe, or as safe as could be, she finally allowed herself to process. Marrow saw the look on her face and sent her to her quarters to rest. With a sigh she complied.

Inside her room it felt empty and desolate, much like the desert around them. She could feel the lights of the troopers around her but they were all so far away. Stripping out of her armor and undoing her hair she flopped down onto her bed in just the black bodysuit. She stared at the ceiling for long moments and shivered. She couldn't be alone right then. She needed to be near someone. Kix was busy helping the vode, Jesse and the others were busy with their own tasks…

Closing her eyes she let her senses wander until she found what she was looking for. Eyes snapping open she got up from her bed and left her quarters. She received some surprised looks from troopers she passed, which was fair. She was walking around in only the black bodysuit after all. But no one tried to stop her as she wandered the halls of the _Resolute_.

Stopping in front of the right door she pressed the button and frowned when it didn't open. She hesitated for a moment before knocking.

The door opened and the look on the Captain's face was one of surprise. It must have been the look in her eyes, or maybe her emotions spilling out into the force, but he took one look at her and pulled her into his quarters. With a sigh of relief she let herself be pressed against a broad chest, laying her forehead against his collarbone. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and cradled her head, letting her feel safe enough to break down. The silent tears came as her body trembled from grief. So many lives lost for nothing and it weighed heavily on her mind.

_"Hush. Calm down, our white medic."_ His kind voice next to her ear was soothing as he held her tightly.

_"My heart hurts."_ She managed to choke out through her sobs. Rex inhaled sharply in surprise before his hold shifted. Picking her up easily he took her over to the bed and eased her down onto it gently. As if afraid she might break.

_"Don't worry, just rest."_ He murmurs to her as he settled onto the bed and pulled her to him, fingers gently stroking her hair. "I've got the watch."

By the time she stopped crying she was too tired to move. The steady warmth and safety of someone she trusts with her life was enough to lull her to blessed sleep.

[Rex]

He watched her carefully as her eyes slowly closed and her breathing finally calmed. Letting out a relieved sigh he shifted the blankets so the both of them would be covered and tucked Liera against his side. It had been a long fucking day and he was already exhausted to the bone. But seeing her there, next to him, safe and sound… it eased a tension in his chest he hadn't noticed before. A protective arm twines around her waist and gentle fingers stroke a slender hip through the black bodysuit. This wasn't like comforting a cadet when they had a nightmare, or helping a shiny who was torn apart by grief. It almost felt like something… more.

Rex isn't sure when he fell asleep, just that he had. There's a flurry of knocks on the door to his quarters before the door opens on its own. Jesse rushes inside, feeling slightly panicked in the force. "Captain! We can't fin-" Rex lifts his head to glare sleepily at the ARC trooper. The man stopped dead just inside the room, eyes going wide. Next to him he felt something shift. Confused he turned his attention away from Jesse and toward whatever it was beside him.

"Jesse? What's wrong?" Voice thick with sleep, long hair mussed, and eyes half lidded, Liera looks over his chest and toward the ARC. Rex froze for a moment in surprise before forcing himself to calm down and relax.

"I, uh, no-nothing's wrong. _Don't worry, little sister._" With a sleepy smile she nodded at the shocked trooper before laying her head back down on Rex's chest, falling back to sleep almost instantly.

"What the shab Rex?" Jesse dropped his rank altogether and his voice lowered, eyes flashing dangerously. Rex inwardly cursed, knowing that Kix and Jesse have adopted Liera as a true sibling. All that was really left to do was say the adoption vow to make it legally binding. "If you don't have a good explanation for this vod there are plenty of people who would be more than happy to kick your shebs!" He hissed angrily.

"Shut up! Don't wake her up again." Carefully pitching his voice so Jesse can hear him he glances at the woman asleep on his chest. "She came to me crying, vod. She needed comfort and to feel safe. That's all. You know what happens to force users around too much death, and she cares a hell of a lot more than some people." Hell, even he was surprised she'd come to him. Kicker, Kix, Jesse, even Fives or Echo. She could have gone to any of them for comfort. Although if he was being honest he'd admit, at least to himself, he was secretly pleased with her choice.

Jesse's eyes narrowed and he pointedly looked over at Rex's hand resting over a feminine hip. He felt his face turn warm but refused to move his hand, that would make him look like he felt guilty about it. Which he didn't. Carefully he gave a one shouldered shrug, so as not to disturb the healer further. Jesse's eyes narrow further and the glare he received could peel the paint off armor. "We'll talk later." He gave the ARC trooper a sharp nod, hearing the threat in his tone loud and clear.

Normally he would have reprimanded Jesse for talking like that to a superior officer but he knew, as they all did, that when it came to family military rank had nothing to do with it. He would let Kix and Jesse bitch and interrogate him all they liked. For now he just wanted to rest.

A small, contented, sigh escaped pale peach lips and Rex couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. He shifted a little so they were both more comfortable and let himself drift back to sleep.

* * *

Mando'a Translations:

Di'kut- Idiot  
Dha'kad'au- My Mando'a word for the Darksaber.  
Dini'la- Crazy  
Buire- Parents  
Cyare- Beloved  
Bucket- Slang for Helmet.  
Shab- Fuck  
Shebs- Ass


	21. Results

It took them seven hours to scan everyone who'd set foot on that hellish dirtball of a planet and returned to the _Resolute_ but they were finally finished. Thank the Stars. They found twelve infected brothers but were able to subdue them quickly. With Liera's help they were able to find and neutralize the worms safely without too much fuss. Especially after she taught Waxer how to feel for the creepy bastards. Now Obi-wan had three of the disgusting things to work with, much to everyone's distaste. They found a couple of eggs the infected brothers had brought on board as well. The flame troopers were more than happy to set those things on fire.

Cody thought that would be the end of it. They were finally ready to leave and could put all of this behind them. But of course, that wasn't how his life went. There was always a problem somewhere. His comm chirped and he let out the barest hint of a sigh before answering.

_"Al'verde. We have a situation in medical. You need to bring the Alor'ad with you as well."_ Staring down at his comm he let out a low curse. If they were asking for him and Rex specifically, without their jetii, then it meant this was something too big or too important to the vode to trust anyone with. It rankled a little, not telling Obi-wan, but he set aside his own feelings on the matter.

Heading into medical after calling Rex he was met with a slightly dazed younger brother coming from the hall that lead to the medical staff's quarters and raised an eyebrow at him in concern. "What happened vod'ika?" The blonde stiffened slightly and his presence in the force felt almost embarrassed.

"Uh… I might need an intervention when Kix, Jesse, Kicker, and the rest of Jaig Squad decide to band together and kick my shebs." Cody slowed for a moment, wondering what the hell Rex had done to earn the ire of not only his own Squad but Kicker as well.

"Alright, I'll bite; what happened?" Rex let out a small sigh and crossed his arms. Cody didn't even need to see his face to know his brother was glaring at the floor.

"After they finished scanning everyone I was finally able to catch some rack time. Woke up when I felt something in the force. It was Liera." Cody watched his brother from the corner of his eye. He could feel the confusion and mixed feelings even through the partially closed bond. Releasing the blocks they placed on their abilities was having a couple of unintended side effects, he would have to talk to buir later about it. "The moment she saw me she just… she looked so broken, ori'vod. I didn't know what to do so I just pulled her to me and hugged her." Rex shrugged.

"There's nothing wrong with comforting someone, Rex. It was her first ground engagement and we lost so many brothers. I'm actually surprised she held it together so long." It showed an incredible amount of inner strength and caring.

"Well see, here's the thing, she didn't exactly leave after that…" Cody's eyes went wide and he stopped to stare at his brother.

"You didn't-" Rex stopped and shook his head.

"She fell asleep crying!" He half hissed, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. Really, they should have been speaking over comms. "I was too exhausted to carry her back to her quarters and I didn't want to wake her up, she needed to sleep. But Kix and Jesse must have been looking for her cause Jesse burst into my quarters." Cody wanted to put his face in his hands at the slight pang of guilt coming from his brother. "Jesse saw her and was pretty torqued."

"So you want me to talk to them for you if you can't calm them down?" Rex shrugged.

"I'm not sure what I want to do ori'vod. If it was a brother I don't think they'd be freaking out as much." Small spikes of anger and indignation. Rex was not happy with the almost slight against his honor.

"You know how Kix and Jesse feel about each other, how they get when they think someone is threatening their riduur. I imagine they're just as protective over Liera. If she'd gone to anyone else they'd be just as likely to kick their shebs, and you'd have helped them." He nudged his brother with the force and they both started walking again.

"I know. But I'm me. They know I would never hurt her." The truth rang out between them and Cody held back his feeling of exasperation. His brother was brilliant at making plans on the fly and was an exceptional warrior. But when it came to things like this… he could be such an idiot.

Heading straight to the small meeting room where Helix and Vent were waiting. The door was quickly locked and the two Chief Medical Officers motioned for them to sit down. Cody did, Rex leaned against the wall behind him instead. "What's this all about? Something to do with he worms?" The two looked grim, dark circles around their eyes as if they hadn't slept.

_"We need you to contact the Mand'alor."_ He could feel Rex stiffen behind him. Both at the request and the fact that Vent was speaking in Mando'a. They tried not to show how fluent they were in the language, it was an advantage, but if they were speaking Mando'a then things were serious. _"We found something on the scans, something that isn't in any of the data files or medical courses."_ Cody shivered as the force rippled. Whatever they'd found it was important.

_"What did you find?"_ Helix turned on a datapad and input an almost absurdly complex code before sliding it over to him. Picking it up he opened the file and recognized the cranial scans of his brothers. Flicking through the images he frowned. There was something odd that stuck out to him but he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He looked between Vent and Helix. _"What is it I'm missing?"_ Vent took out a second datapad and handed it over. Cody flicked through the scans, looking between them and the scans from the first datapad. Rex came away from the wall and looked over his shoulder, his presence in the force sharpening suddenly.

_"These spots on the scans, what is it?"_ Rex said from over his shoulder, amber eyes narrowed.

_"It's a small biomass. Care to guess about the difference between the two pads?"_ Cody stiffened as he put two and two together.

_"Bloody ashes!"_ His brother's eyebrow rose in surprise. Cody wasn't one to swear or curse but in this instance it was warranted. Vent and Helix just looked grimly back at him.

_"The first datapad contains all the scans from our brothers. The second one is all jetii and nat-borns."_ Rex started mumbling long strings of curses under his breath. _"We have no idea what this is and seeing how we are the most senior medical staff here…"_ Helix shook his head, eyes concerned.

Cody set the two pads down and ran a hand over his short hair. _"You haven't told the jetii?"_ They shook their heads, the slight wariness in their eyes more than understandable. _"I'll call buir. He needs to know about this."_ There was a familiar pang of awe-nervousness-jealousy from the two medical officers and he cursed himself internally. He should have been more careful. There were far too many vode for Jango or Haati to be the parents of and even then Jango was highly selective of who he called his sons. The Mand'alor treated them all fairly, they were Mando'ade after all, but he was not their father.

_"I'll need copies of these scans."_

[***]

Standing in the private comm room he looked over at Amp, who gave him an 'everything is go' sign. Nodding he stepped up to the comm and waited for it to connect. It didn't take long for a small yet familiar figure to answer.

_"Big brother!"_ The excitement in Boba's voice made him chuckle.

_"Hi Bob'ika, I'm sorry I can't talk right now but I need to speak with buir. It's urgent."_ The boy's eyes darkened and he nodded before disappearing. Almost immediately he reappeared.

_"Say hi to Rex for me!"_ He smiled and nodded at his littlest brother before Jango stepped into view.

_"Kote. It's good to hear from you."_ Unlike Kote, his father didn't put his foot in it by directly calling him son in front of the others.

_"Mand'alor."_ He said respectfully. Jango's expression hardened and his stance changed from one of idleness to one of sharp attention.

_"Report, Commander."_ Kote wasn't disappointed, this wasn't a social call.

_"We were sent back to Geonosis, to take back the planet from the bugs."_ Jango glowered, he hated the fucking dustball as much as any of the vode. _"Healer Liera figured out how we lost the planet in the first place. The larval stage of Geonosians are parasites, they can take over the body of a sentient. Alive or dead."_ The disgusted look on his father's face summed up all his feelings on the matter quite succinctly. _"We had to scan everyone who set foot on the planet, caught a couple of the bugs trying to sneak on board to infect the rest of us."_

_"How are the men who were infected?"_ Cody smiled reassuringly.

_"They're fine. Healer Liera took care of it and they're resting now."_ He could feel Amp's awe-joy-shyness behind him. Not every vod had the chance to meet the Mand'alor and to hear him asking after the health of the clones who were not his chosen sons made the slicer feel a little less expendable.

_"You've mentioned that Healer twice now. Are they the one Haati was so interested in?"_ Like always his father was sharp as a beskad and twice as observant.

_"She's a former jetii, can heal the accelerated aging, and is part of Rex's 501st. The men are very fond of her."_ Amp snorted in the background, amused by his understatement.

_"Hmm. What's so urgent you had to break radio silence if the bugs have been dealt with?"_ This part he knew his father was not going to like.

_"We found something in the scans. Something the Kaminii are keeping from us."_ His hand clenched into a fist at his side as he turned to Amp and motioned for him to send over the data. _"It's in every brother, every single one. In the exact same place. We worried that it was some sort of defect from the cloning process but Liera hasn't noticed it. Whatever it is, it was designed to be there."_ As he spoke Jango's face turned thunderous. _"We haven't told the jetii but I'd like to confide in Obi-wan and Liera."_ At Obi-wan's name his father's thunderous expression melted a little.

_"Heard about your jetii, good man. Mandokarla."_ A small smirk played at the corner of the man's lips and Kote knew he wasn't going to like what his father said next. _"A good choice. Have you gotten him a gift yet?"_ Kote's face burned as Amp tried, and failed, to hide his snickers behind him.

_"Can we get back on topic?_ He groused. Jango just chuckled at him before all his amusement fell away and he was once again focused.

_"I'll look into it. Whatever this is I don't like it. We already knew the Kaminii were Demagolka cowards but the more I learn…"_ He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _"I promise you when this is over we'll get our vengeance. A Mandalorian never forgets."_ The moment the words left Jango's lips he and Amp repeated the phrase, both feeling the burning hatred of the longnecks that was shared by all the vode.

_"Do you think Uncle would know about this?"_ Jango made a considering noise, eyes seeming to look past him for a moment as the man thought.

_"No, but I think Tyrannus would. I'll contact Haati and send him with Winter Squad to find out what he knows… you can tell your jetii and the healer. Just be careful."_ Kote nodded in understanding. _"Stars watch over you, Kote."_ With that said his father cut the feed. Rubbing his fingers over his forehead for a moment he collected his thoughts.

_"Wipe an hour and a half of calls and stall the comm for another half hour from this point onward. We don't want anyone finding out bout this."_ Amp gave him a quick salute and got to work. Kote put his helmet back on and pinged his brother on the internal comm. "Rex, find Liera. I'll get Obi-wan. Buir gave the okay for us to tell them." There was a small hint of hesitation through the bond.

"Ori'vod… I need to bring Anakin in on this." Kote blinked in surprise.

"Why?" He asked slowly. He knew that something had happened between his brother and the jetii but neither of them had spoken about it.

"I kind of… adopted him as one of the vode. I promised him that there'd be no more secrets." Kote sucked in a breath of alarm and tried to keep his temper in check. It was much easier when he was Cody, he could hide behind his impassive military training.

"Rex, you know how dangerous that could be." He felt the guilt-worry-fear from his brother but it was laced with hope.

"I know. But the more we shut him out the more paranoid he gets. I think… I think with Liera and buir's help we can keep him on an even keel. He trusts us, wants to trust us! Let me try." Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and let it out again. There was nothing in the force that said it was a bad idea. If anything it pushed him to listen to his brother. There was something important they didn't know and this could reveal that missing puzzle piece.

"Fine. But if buir has to fix this I'm never letting you live it down." There was a sense of relief from his brother and Kote made a note to remind the force sensitive brothers to reel themselves in when not in battle.

[Liera]

Waking from her long slumber she felt a life-force very close to her own and frowned in confusion. The shallow rise and fall of someone sleeping beneath her hand and the comforting sound of a heartbeat met her almost simultaneously. Opening her eyes she focused her senses and recognized the good captain immediately. As calmly as she could she slowly started to pull away from him, not wanting to wake him but knowing she couldn't stay idle now that she was aware. The arm around her waist tightened, the large warm hand on her hip pulling her closer.

Liera nibbled her bottom lip, unsure what to do. She could feel how tired he still was after the battle and didn't want to shove him away. It wasn't as if she felt uncomfortable or unsafe while being held like this. With her particular set of skills and abilities she could tell that Rex had no ill intent toward her whatsoever. If anything it was the exact opposite. Like the majority of the 501st he was quite fond of her and felt relaxed in her presence. She could see the respect he held for her as both a person and a healer. A respect she returned.

The man stirred as if sensing she was awake, which in hindsight he probably could. There wasn't much she could do as his eyes suddenly snapped open and he gazed at her blearily. After a moment of silent confusion his eyes widened and his face turned slightly red. She could feel his sudden embarrassment-apology as he realized his arm was wound around her waist and she couldn't actually get up. Clearing his throat he let her go and sat up stiffly. "Are… are you alright?" She smiled at the concern in his warm eyes.

"I'm fine… thank you." Letting her force presence brush against his she sent gratitude for the comfort he had given her. A wide smile of relief crossed his face and he sent reassurance back at her. Getting up he stretched and made his way to the small fresher attached to the officer's room. Climbing out of the bed she fixed the blanket and waited for the captain. When he came out of the fresher she slipped inside to quickly wash the sleep out of her eyes and try to get her hair to lay flat. Once she was presentable enough she came back out to see the man standing there in his armor, looking unsure of himself.

"Is something wrong? Have I done something that made you uncomfortable?" There was a mild spike of alarm and Rex shook his head. Stepping closer he reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, his thumb lightly brushing against her skin.

"I'm glad you came to me. I want you to know you can come to me again if you need to." Placing her hand on his she smiled, though she knew she was blushing faintly.

Before she could reply Rex's comm started beeping and he sighed, letting his hand fall away. As if realizing how close they were to one another Liera's blush darkened and she took a step back. The captain gave her a look that was difficult to decipher before he picked up the comm and started speaking with his brother in rapid Mando'a, too fast and complex for her to follow. When he was finished he sighed. "I have to head to medical for a meeting."

"You could walk with me. I have to return to my quarters anyway and I wouldn't mind your company." His eyes lit up and she couldn't help the slight fluttering in her abdomen.

"After you." He said teasingly, bowing as if he were some stuffy aristocrat. Snickering she lifted her chin high and gave him a fake haughty look.

"My, such a gentleman." They devolved into chuckles.

The two of them walked in companionable silence, enjoying each others presence without having to fill the space between them with words. Vode who passed by eyed the two of them curiously, though they didn't say anything besides the standard greetings. Coming into the medical bay they made their way to her quarters, only stopping to greet the medics who worked closely with her and assure them she was fine.

"I'll stop by Jaig Squad later. Kix was too busy when I got off shift so I never got to speak with him. I'm sure they're worried about me." There was a small feeling of guilt, embarrassment, and apprehension in the captain's spirit. She looked up at him and he shifted on his feet, the closest to fidgeting the older troopers ever got.

"Jesse stopped by while you were asleep, they'd been looking for you and were worried. Might want to reassure them you're okay." Thinking back on it she thought she'd felt Jesse some time while she's been resting in the captain's quarters. Rex's apprehension made her wonder if there might be a misunderstanding she'd have to correct. She knew how protective her brothers could be over her.

"I'll let them know." She huffed and crossed her arms, eyes narrowing slightly. "I might have to have a very adult conversation with them about boundaries, responsibility, and over protectiveness." Rex snorted in amusement, his apprehension fading.

"I'll see you later for squad practice, unless something comes up." Smiling she hit the keypad for her quarters, back turned to the captain.

"I'm looking forward to it. _Have a good day, my Captain._" Rex's breath hitched in surprise. Liera felt a flash of warmth and desire through the force but the sensation vanished so quickly she wondered if she wasn't mistaken. She looked back at him but his face had gone military blank. He gave her a tight smile, a salute, then turned on his heel and walked off in a hurry. Liera wondered what that had been all about but quickly put it out of her mind as she entered her quarters and headed toward the fresher. She really wanted a shower.

[***]

After getting cleaned up and putting on her medical uniform she checked in with Medical but found Wick had taken over for Vent. "He's in a meeting with the Commander at the moment." Liera felt a shiver of alarm and concern run through her.

"What happened? Is it something to do with the parasite victims?" Wick gave her a kind smile.

"No, no. Just going over the reports on the brothers who were infected and probably thinking of ways to make sure it doesn't happen again." Relaxing she smiled back at him.

"Good. Are there any advanced cases for me to look at?" Wick checked the files.

"No, you healed the last of them already." It was nice to know that there was no one in the intensive care for her to look after. Healer she might be but having no work was always a blessing.

"I'll be in my office then. Please let the vode know that I'm free if anyone needs to talk." Wick pulled out a datapad and handed it over, eyes sad.

"This is the list of brothers we think are having a hard time." Taking the pad she gave him a firm nod.

"I'll do rounds instead then. Make sure everyone is okay."

She spent an hour talking to the men who had lost someone important to them, reciting litanies and prayers. She was about to go speak with Pulse, who was being guarded around the clock so he didn't attempt to hurt himself, when her comm went off. Answering it promptly she saw Kote and immediately stopped.

"Yes, Commander?" The man looked on edge, even through the holo.

"I need you to come to the war room for an emergency meeting." She blinked, unable to respond. Not once had she ever set foot in the war room. It was not her place, since she was not a part of the command structure.

"Of course, Commander. I'll be there momentarily." Shutting off the comm she returned to Wick with an updated datapad and explained the situation.

"Good luck, Miss." He said with a light smile.

The war room was a good sized meeting room with a projector, multiple writing boards, a large viewing screen, a long table, and chairs. There was space at the front for whoever was talking to pace around as they spoke. Currently that place was occupied by the commander, who stood with his back straight and arms held loosely behind him. On the table in front of him were multiple datapads. She gave him a polite nod in greeting before taking a chair a little ways down the table.

"I think it would be best if you sat closer." She looked up at him and frowned but quickly took a seat closer to him instead. He watched her silently, head cocked slightly to the side and a sense of curiosity surrounding him. "You aren't going to ask why you're here?"

"I assume I'm here for my medical knowledge or my understanding of psychology. Since you asked me to appear in the War Room I assume that there will be others coming. I can wait for an explanation." A brush of amusement from the commander made her smile back at him.

"I can see why you fit in so well with Jaig Squad." A small flush of happiness colored her cheeks.

"Thank you Commander."

The rest of the party trickled in and she felt a sudden tension in the room. Rex took a seat across from her with Anakin next to him while Obi-wan chose to stand next to his commander until he was motioned to sit down as well. Once he was seated Kote input a code into the console and they could hear the doors lock, sealing them inside. "I asked Amp to ensure this room was completely secured. What I have to tell you is top secret and if it got out we'd all be kriffed." Obi-wan's mouth fell open slightly in surprise and Anakin's eyes went wide. The commander was normally far more tactful.

"General Skywalker. I want you to know that I objected to your presence but Rex asked for you to be included." Rex flinched and Anakin scowled in confusion.

"What? Why wouldn't I be included?" Kote looked at his brother for one long moment before turning back to Anakin.

"Because you are close to the Chancellor." The blonde recoiled slightly before glaring at the table. Liera reached over and put a hand on his, giving him a reassuring smile. He took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly, like she'd taught him to do during their sessions.

"Yeah, I… I understand." He looked over at Rex then at Kote. "Thank you for including me." The commander relaxed a little and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Helix and Vent found something during the scans." He put them up on the screen and Liera's eyes were immediately drawn to them. "The scans on the left are the vode, the ones on the right are the natural borns, including the jedi." Liera's trained eye went between the twelve scans used as examples. Standing abruptly she pushed her chair out and walked up to the screen.

"That can't be what I think it is…" She could feel their eyes on her back as she took a closer look. "Even if it was a benign tumor I'd be able to sense it as a foreign mass. The fact that I can't sense it is worrying." Looking back at the commander she saw bitter understanding and a hardness in his eyes that made her wilt slightly.

"I figured as much. Whatever this is, it was put there on purpose. The Kaminii designed us with it in mind." The very thought that each of them had something in their brains that none of them knew about made her feel sick to her stomach. Just looking at Obi-wan and Anakin she could see she wasn't alone in her feelings of disgust-fear-concern.

"Is there any way to get a sample of this?" Obi-wan looked pale at the thought and she could feel the waves of regret-apology he was giving off in the force.

"I can perform an autopsy on one of the deceased. We might get a better idea of what we're dealing with that way." There was a slight feeling of alarm coming from Anakin and Obi-wan, alarm that wasn't shared by the two clones. "I am a medical professional. I might not be a fully certified surgeon but I can perform an autopsy. Unless you want one of the Chief Medical Officers to do it. They have more experience than I do in this field."

"How can you just-" Anakin started to rise but Obi-wan put a hand on his shoulder and held him down.

"Anakin. Mandalorians, and the vode, believe that the spirits of their loved ones are freed after death. The body of the deceased has little importance to them as their loved one is no longer inhabiting it. Rather they have moved on and are watching over those left behind from the next world. Much like we Jedi believe we become one with the Force after death." Liera had to give it to him, Obi-wan was very good at explaining complicated matters in a very concise manner.

"But you're talking like-"

"Like a medical professional who has to set aside her emotions for the betterment of others? I might sound cold, even cruel. But I do care about them, Anakin. I care a lot about the vode. They are my family." Letting go of her own shields she let them feel her in the force. How much pain and grief she was feeling over the deaths of the vode. How guilty she felt being unable to help them more. How scared she was to lose them and her resignation that someday she would, regardless of what she tried to do. Everyone in the room flinched and she quickly reigned her emotions in, closing them behind her shields.

Rex got up and put his hand on her arm, radiating worry for her wellbeing. "I'm fine." She muttered.

When the silence dragged on too long Kote cleared his throat. "There's more."

"Why do I not like the sound of that?" The commander gave Obi-wan an exasperated look for his sass.

"I spoke with the Mand'alor. He said he'd look into it on his end." Obi-wan stiffened. "Haat'buir is going to so some reconnaissance and see if he can't get any information out of Tyrannus."

"Why would Dooku give away any information to the Rid'alor? What information could he possibly have?" Obi-wan asked. Anakin just looked completely lost.

"Darth Tyrannus was the one who placed the original order for the clone army. If anyone would know about the design choices the Kaminii made; he would." You could hear a pin drop in the wake of that statement.

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me the entire army was ordered by the Sith?" Neither Rex or Obi-wan looked surprised, only she and Anakin.

"You knew!" Liera swallowed and backed away. Anakin was leaking anger and frustration.

"I did. The council swore me to silence." That didn't seem to make Anakin feel any better.

"Vod. Remember that talk we had?" Kote looked to Rex for a moment before realizing that his brother was not speaking to him. Rather he was looking right at Anakin. The blonde seemed to deflate.

"Yeah, I-I remember. Sorry… I know there's stuff that's hard to talk about. But all these secrets aren't doing us any good. We're flying half blind." Kote looked taken aback for a moment before his eyes became contemplative.

"I'll tell you what I told Obi-wan." Kote began, eyes burning into Anakin's. "We were adopted and raised as Mandalorians. But to the Senate we're nothing more than meat droids. We have no power, no say in who we follow into battle, no control over our very lives. At the moment we are slaves." Anakin flinched, hands balling into fists. "We have enough circumstantial evidence to suggest that even if the war were to end now we would either be frozen, to be thawed out whenever the Republic needs an army, or killed. If they learn we're also force sensitive the chances of being killed are much higher, closer to eighty-three percent."

"Padme would never let that happen." A small sigh from Obi-wan caught everyone's attention.

"Your wife can only do so much, Anakin. She's only one Senator."

"I… what?"

"Really, Anakin, I am not dense." The redhead shot his former padawan a frustrated look. Anakin went to speak and was quickly shut down. "We will talk later. Right now we need to focus on the vode."

"Thank you, Obi-wan. To get back to the problem at hand. I think an autopsy would be useful. We'll have one of the CMOs do it. But I want you in on this as a consultant. We don't know what kind of osik could have been pulled on us. For all we know this is some kind of kill switch embedded in us by the Kaminii, it sounds like something they would do." The more she learned about these Kaminoans the more she disliked them. Not one trooper had anything good to say about them and the older generation of clones had an almost haunted look on their faces whenever they mentioned them.

"Nothing we talked about can leave this room. No one can know. Not even the Senator." Kote said, looking directly at Anakin. "If the wrong person finds out we will be killed."

"I won't tell anyone. I swear. I want you guys to trust me." Kote watched him quietly for a moment.

"Trust is earned. This is your first and only chance you'll get. Because if we fail- we die."

"I need time to meditate on this. The force might have some insights for us. You're welcome to join me, Cody." There was a look of surprise on the man's face and Liera had to hide a smile. "With your abilities we might be able to glean some information ahead of time that will help us narrow down our research." Kote coughed to clear his throat.

"That sounds like a good plan, Obi-wan. There's nothing that can really be said at the moment. The meeting is adjourned." Rex and Kote shared a look before the blonde was suddenly standing next to his general, talking to him quietly and motioning for them to leave. The doors unlocked and the two of them disappeared.

"I'll be doing rounds in the medical bay and around the ship. I need to see to the mental health of the vode. I'll leave my comm on but I won't answer if I'm with a patient." Looking between them she sent the commander an amused look before leaving the two of them alone together.

[Obi-wan]

Walking next to Cody he thought about what he'd learned in the meeting and felt his chest tighten with worry. There was something inside every single one of the vode and the very thought of it made him feel sick. Did Boba have whatever it was as well? Or did they think it would look too suspicious if Jango or Haati ever took their 'legitimate' son to a proper doctor for a medical scan. What about the cadets back on Kamino? The very idea that they might have place a kill switch inside the bodies of children made his stomach feel as if it were filled with electrified eels.

"Obi-wan, you need to breathe!" Looking up at Cody's concerned umber eyes he wondered when he'd fallen and why he hadn't noticed. He tried to stand but was held firm by one hand on his shoulder. Cody knelt and placed a hand on the back of his neck, pulling Obi-wan until their foreheads were touching. Waves of calm radiated from the commander as he urged Obi-wan to copy his breathing. Slowly the panic began to ebb, leaving him feeling tired.

"Are you okay cya- Obi-wan?" Cody's voice was quiet, gentle, his liquid eyes so full of emotion it made him want to hide.

"I'll be fine, Cody. Thank you." Since when had the two of them stopped calling each other by their military ranks? For that matter what was the word that Cody had meant to say before switching to using his name. He was certain if he asked the man would answer… but he wasn't sure he was ready to know yet.

Cody helped him to his feet and watched him carefully for a moment before he nodded, accepting him at his word. There was still a feeling of hovering protectiveness, a sense of safety while standing next to the man, but it wasn't imposing. An invitation rather than something forced upon him. For once he didn't let himself pull away. Cody was strong in the force, strong enough to lean on without being accidentally influenced. The small look of surprise and the flick of his eyes glancing down at him then away again made Obi-wan smile softly in gratitude.

These wonderful men who had been living and fighting next to him for over a year deserved to be free, they deserved the right to choose lives for themselves. Obi-wan swore he would do everything in his power to help them. If it meant tracking down Dooku himself to get the information he would. But for now he would try to learn more about these awe inspiring men. Especially the one walking beside him.

* * *

Mando'a and Terms:  
Al'verde- Commander  
Alor'ad- Captain  
Vod'ika- Younger Sibling  
Shebs- Ass  
Ori'vod- Older sibling  
Buir- Parent  
Riduur- Spouse/Partner  
Nat-born- Natural born, non-clones.  
Mandokarla- Having the right stuff. Showing guts and spirit, the state of being the epitome of Mando virtue.  
Demagolka- Someone who commits atrocties, a real-life monster, a war criminal. Taken from the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children, and a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche.  
Longnecks- Kaminoans  
CMO- Chief Medical Officer


	22. Behind the Scenes

[Dooku]

Pulling the cup away from his face he lay his arm upon his knee and let out a small sigh. Was everyone going to drop in an interrupt his tea today? Or was it just the annoying Republic dogs he could sense converging around the room. Humming curiously he waited a moment for them to make a move. When they didn't attack after a few moments he took a small sip of tea and set the cup down on its saucer before pushing it closer to the center of the table with the force. If things got violent he didn't want to ruin one of his favourite tea sets. It had been a gift, after all.

"Are you going to come out and speak with me before you attempt to kill me?" He asked lightly, letting his voice carry throughout the open space.

"You're coming with us, Count, to be tried for crimes against the Republic!" A familiar voice responded, although he couldn't quite tell where it was coming from. Clones had such annoying skills and training. It had been a mistake to allow Fett to hire whomever he liked to train the things.

"I do believe we are outside of Republic territory. As such you have no jurisdiction here." Smug satisfaction dripped from his words and he smirked when the clones' emotions turned more aggressive and turbulent.

"Justice has no jurisdiction." Turning he regarded the armored figure carefully before scoffing. It was one of the commandos. Infuriatingly competent and with far more individuality than should be allowed in cloned beings meant solely for war. Although he supposed the consequences of their individuality worked in Sidious' favor. The jedi had noticed the individuality in their troops and were conflicted over it, making hasty decisions in an effort to spare the clones more pain, while the Republic at large was beginning to believe the Jedi were monsters for subjugating even a lesser type of being like the clones. It helped that Satine Kryze, the Senator of Mandalore, was vocal about their template being Mandalorian and thus they should be allowed Republic Citizenship. Of course the Senator of Kamino, who was newly inducted, vehemently disagreed with this, claiming the clones as 'products of Kamino.'

Two more commandos appeared in his periphery and Dooku wondered how they had managed to get through his security. He had some of the most advanced droids with specialty programming, nothing like the useless trash created by the Trade Federation.

"If this is the way it must be." He says gravely, palming his lightsaber in preparation of whatever fool plan the commandos had concocted to try and take him alive for the Republic.

"It is." Says one of the other clones, voice firm and steely. Dooku huffs and would have replied if it wasn't for the familiar sound behind him.

_'They have a Jedi with them?'_ Dooku hadn't even felt their presence in the force, which should have been next to impossible. Whipping around he held his lightsaber in a guard position but nearly faltered when he saw the one holding the blade.

It was a clone. Their armor was a shade of dark blue that would make seeing them in the dark nearly impossible. It was only the yellow lightsaber, closer to amber in color, that made him easy to spot. The light turned his armor a sickly green and Dooku felt a small chill of something run down his back. It wasn't fear, no, but something else.

_"Try not to worry so much, we don't intend to kill you."_ The voice was clearly not one of the clones, it sounded nothing like them, and yet he knew it came from the one with the amber lightsaber. Mental Projection? From a Clone of all things? But they were all supposed to be Force Nulls!

The sound of other lightsabers coming to life made him turn again, taking in the other three who had been creeping forward while his focus was elsewhere. Clever.

There was a second yellow lightsaber, the color much loser to a pale sun, held by the clone with steel gray armor. The third, a leafy green lightsaber, was held by a clone in white armor with subtle patterns marking their pauldrons in the lightest shade of silvery gray. The last was wearing deep green, close to black, and held a sapphire blade that practically sang into the force.

His lightsaber flickered to life in his hand, the screams of the kyber crystal drowned out by the surge of power he felt drawing on the dark side of the force. The clones flinched and he finally knew, for certain, that they were force sensitive. He would have to report this to his master when he was done dispatching the Republic's attack dogs.

Without warning he flowed into his favored form of Makashi, his movements swift and sure. Before he'd left the order he had been one of the top duelists and the only true master of Makashi. He was startled when the clone in white, leafy green lightsaber held expertly, moved to intercept him in an only mildly inferior Makashi move. Indignation filled him and he pressed his attack aggressively. How dare they try to use his own form against him, these inferior creatures!

Fighting three on one took all of his concentration but he was still aware of the fourth as the force began to twist around them. There was no warning when he suddenly felt the outside world vanish beyond the room they were currently dueling in. The last clone was sitting on the ground, eyes closed and focused on meditation, as the force created a wall between them and everything else.

Before he could think of a new strategy a voice suddenly called to him and the clones all disengaged at once.

"Yan Dooku!" Turning toward the new voice his brows furrowed as he recognized the Mandalorian armor clad form striding up to him. There was something familiar about it… "It's been a long time since we've spoken." Words came to his mind unbidden, like a soft whispering, and he felt more than heard the newcomer's next words. "Qui-gon Jinn is the rightful heir of Serenno. The adoption papers, declaration, and legal will are hidden in Aislin's Crypt."

Time stood still in that moment as all the breath left his lungs in a pained wheeze. For one single moment his mind seemed to go entirely blank before a million memories slammed into him with enough force to make his legs buckle beneath him.

Strong arms helped him to his feet, gentle force presences brushing against his mind to soothe some of the ache as the voices around him asked if he was okay in varying degrees of concern.

"Bavodu, me'vaar ti gar?" _'Uncle, are you okay?'_ His mind translated the Mando'a that Greene was speaking and a reassuring smile crossed his face as he waved away the excitable youngling. Silver stood back, eying him critically, while Snow frowned and tried not to fuss over him obviously.

"Elek, Vesh'ika, naas." _'Yes, Little Evergeen, I'm okay.'_ He replied instinctively. As more of his memories returned he looked around at his nephews and the man he considered a brother. "Yaimparyc." _'I'm home.'_ It probably wasn't the mot elegant description but it was close enough that the boys relaxed.

"Has something happened? You've never had to use _that_ before." A cognition trigger, Haati had come to call it. A way to recall the memories and personality locked away so deeply that only one with both the right voice and phrase could bring them back to the surface.

"I'm sorry, vod, but we need to go through some of Darth Tyrannus' memories. Unless you also know what's on these neural chips that have been put into my ade's heads." Yan could see the anger and strain in the man's eyes and sense his turmoil through the force.

"I'm afraid we'll have to look through Tyrannus' memories, vod, for I cannot recall these chips you speak of. It is quite concerning to hear about them." Looking to his nephews he smiled at Snow. "Your Makashi is becoming impressive, it is quite clear you have been practicing those kata I taught you." The boy smiled shyly and nodded, looking pleased with the praise. Yan would have loved to take him under his wing, he was an exceptional duelist in the making, but the future was far too uncertain and he was fairly sure he would not survive the war.

"At least I have some good news." Haati said with a small grin. "You've heard of the jetii your great grandson found and took into his battalion?" Yan frowned slightly. He did remember hearing about a young lady, a jedi, who had suddenly appeared in the 501st.

"Sidious is not pleased with her presence. There's something bright but elusive about her that troubles him, especially now that she is so close to Skywalker." Haati's expression hardened.

"We'll have to keep an eye on her then. Rex is quite fond, as are the rest of the boys. She's a former jedi padawan, renounced the order but keeps to the light side of the force, and a force healer. She figured out how to stop the accelerated aging and is teaching other healers." Yan blinked in surprise.

"From the way Sidious speaks I never would have guessed she was a healer. He thinks of her as a threat." The boys stiffened slightly, looking worriedly at their father.

"The boys told me she is highly skilled but very focused on healing. Any of my boys could easily win against her in a match, unless she resorted to darker techniques. But everything I've heard makes me believe she is too moral to do something like that."

_"Beneath her shields she's very bright. She feels sad for every vode that marches on, even if she doesn't know them."_ Shev'la's voice entered his mind and he glanced over at the meditating commando with fondness. How he could split his focus enough to hold a mental conversation and still hold up the shield Yan had no idea. But all of the boys were extraordinary in their own way.

"That is how a Jedi should truly be." Haati grinned up at him and nodded, eyes determined.

"No poaching my future daughter." Yan let out a small huff of amusement.

"Is Rex'ika really that serious about her?" Silver asked, curious. Haati shrugged.

"I still want her for Mandalore, whether Rex gets his shit together or not." The boys chuckled before silence descended once again. Haati looked tired for a moment before he turned to his sons.

"Help your brother and make sure we aren't disturbed. I'm not sure how long this will take." Yan looked at the boys and gave them a sad smile.

"Since I may not recall this later I want you to know I am very proud of you, all of you. K'oyaci, ner vod'ade." 'Stay safe, my nephews.' He knew it wasn't the best way to say good-bye but it was all he could manage. Carefully Greene stepped forward and gave him a hug. For a moment he stiffened before he relaxed and hugged the boy back. Silver stood back but nodded at him with a small smile while Snow practically threw himself into Yan's arms. He couldn't say he had a favourite, per se, but Snow was his Makashi protege and they had a special bond.

"K'oyaci, ba'vodu." The boys vanished then, off to ensure that no one interfered with their father and uncle's little information exchange.

"Let's sit down, this is going to be pretty rough." He knew it was more for his own benefit, since Haati was not yet thirty, but he acquiesced despite the pride that continued to claw at his mind from the inside, like a terrible poison.

"We'll start with anything you deem relevant or important then get into this whole chip business. Afterward we'll set up a new phrase." Settling cross legged on the floor he closed his eyes and for the first time in over a year felt himself immersed in the light.

[Haati]

Gasping he dry heaved at the sharp pain in the back of his skull and would have fallen off the couch if it weren't for Yan holding him up. "I am so sorry, my friend." Yan knew what he had seen inside his mind, the mind of a Sith Apprentice. He had done cruel and disturbing things that he would never be able to atone for. Tears silently slid down his face as the screams echoed in his mind before he was able to purge the memory. _"What did he do!?"_ He hissed, latching onto the other man a little tighter than he had intended. Yan winced but didn't pull away.

_"Sidious often has…"_ he sighed and shook his head, finding no elegant way to say it, _"temper tantrums."_ That didn't make Haati feel any better._ "Fox is the commander of the entire Guard, if anything displeases Sidious he will call him up to his office_." Yan closed his eyes, pain making him look closer to his age without the aid of the force. "You saw what happens when Sidious is displeased. Even a commander is just another useless clone to him." Haati had to let go of Yan and physically put distance between them to calm himself down.

"My sweet child, what has he done to you?" Haati asked aloud. Adatoya, or Fox, had volunteered to watch over Sidious and ensure that any brothers who were sent for decommissioning were sent along to the right transports. Transports that would send the troopers safely to Mandalore where they would be housed in the barracks, going through further training so they could join the real fight. But what he had seen… how Sidious tortured his son… and Yan had just stood by.

_"No. That wasn't you."_ Haati looked up into the older man's eyes, firm in his belief. _"I've been in your mind. Darth Tyrannus is not Yan Dooku, a man I am honored to call vod."_ Yan swallowed and had to look away, shame and guilt swamping him. Haati flooded his mind with understanding and acceptance. "That monster isn't you." He reiterated firmly.

_"But on some level, he is. He is what happens when a jedi falls to pride and arrogance."_ Haati nodded slowly.

_"Good thing you are a former jetii, then." _He couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at his lips when Yan looked up at the ceiling in a bid to very pointedly not roll his eyes.

_"We should talk about the chips. Sidious has plans for your children."_ Haati's expression turned cold with anger. _"These biochips will override the will of the boys, forcing them to follow whatever order he gives. I'm uncertain whether they can be removed surgically or not but I do know one thing."_ Haati gave him a look and the man continued. _"Sidious is no skilled programmer. Whatever is on those chips had to have been programmed by someone else and implemented by the Kaminoans. If we can find the original programmer, or find the program files on Kamino, we should be able to find a way to stop the chips."_

_"I'll get this information to Jango, he'll know which of the boys is best equipped to go snooping without getting caught. Maybe Kal's boys. Jaing is a maestro with programming."_ Plans and ideas ran through his mind before he shook his head to clear it.

_"We're getting closer to ending this. I hope, when the dust settles, we will see one another again."_ Haati held out his arm and smiled warmly when Yan clasped his arm in a show of mutual trust and respect.

_"Until we meet on the field of battle, or pass on into the force."_ Haati grinned at the very Mandalorian declaration and let Yan's arm go.

_"Until we meet again."_ Placing his hand against Yan's temple he calmed his mind. _"Now, sleep."_ Arranging the man on the couch so it looked as if he'd fallen asleep reading and drinking tea Haati worked quickly to alter his memories and lock Yan back into the smallest corner of his mind, a place filled with the last vestiges of light still left in the former jedi. A place Sidious would never venture if he were to try and manipulate Dooku's mind.

"Obi-wan Kenobi was found by Yan Dooku as a baby and turned over to the creche." If Yoda hadn't interfered, pushing Qui-gon and Obi-wan together, Yan would have taken him as his next padawan. It was something that Yan had only discussed with him and one other person, to his knowledge. There were no physical records of Obi-wan's Finder in the archives, only the date he had been given to the creche and the initial medical report. It would be the next trigger to bring him back from the dark. Haati hoped that the next time he used it was when the war was well and truly at an end. "See you on the other side, brother."

[Jango]

_"What?"_ He answered the comm gruffly, staring across the table at another one of the long necked freaks who just would not stop fucking pestering him.

_"Is that any way to talk to your _riduur?_"_ Immediately the tension in his shoulders lessened at the familiar face on the other side of the comm.

_"Sorry,_ my heart,_ I have company over. The Kaminii wanted to talk about the newest batches test results."_ Through the bond he felt the faintest twinge of all encompassing rage that his love rarely allowed himself to feel and knew that something was wrong.

_"That's too bad. I haven't spoken to you in so long, my contract was a little more complicated than I thought it'd be."_ It was a blessing that the Kaminii hadn't actually figured out their real identities, still believing them to be just a pair of highly competent bounty hunters. _"But I got some intel from a contact so I'll be done soon. Is Boba there?"_ Ah, they were playing this game.

_"Bob'ika! Your buir's on the comm!"_ It took all of ten seconds for their son to barrel into the room and grab the communicator with a wide grin on his face. _"Take it in the other room, Bob'ika, I have work."_ Looking from their son to his riduur he smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, Jango. Stay safe. I'll be back soon." Letting Boba take the comm he turned back to the Kaminii, who was watching him carefully.

_"Shall we continue, or you would rather speak with your partner?"_ Jango bristled beneath his skin but didn't show any outward reaction. He knew the Kaminiise were arrogant, on top of everything else, with a contempt for anything they deemed as frivolous or inefficient. But if they tried to disparage his riduur again he would kill them. It had been a while since they'd been reminded that although Haati had the force he still couldn't defeat Jango in a spar. The Kaminiise were scared witless of Haati, but they should be terrified of Jango.

_"He'll be back soon enough. We'll be discussing some of your suggestions for the new batches moving forward. Ori'jetii Ti will be returning soon as well, I'm sure she'd have a few choice words for you too."_ The Kaminii looked distinctly uncomfortable for a moment before going back to their progress report.

When he was finished with the Kaminii and they'd been sent on their way he found Boba sitting on one of the meditation cushions with his eyes closed and breath steady. There was a quiet murmuring in Mando'a of Haati guiding him through another lesson and he smiled. When they'd first found out about Boba being force sensitive he'd panicked a little, unsure what that would mean for his little family. But Haati had quickly taken over that aspect and soothed their son with an ease he was almost jealous of. Now it was something his riduur and their son could share, just the two of them. But he and Boba had their own things they liked to share between the two of them, which included hunting and galactic politics.

"Jan'buir is here, time to come back Bob'ika." Opening his bright green eyes he looked up at his father and smiled.

"Hi buir." Smiling he pulled out another cushion and ruffled their son's hair before he sat down.

"So, anything concrete?" Haati glanced over at Boba and seemed to mull something over for a moment before he gave Jango a grim look.

"I found out what the chips are for. I want you to get Boba scanned for it as well. I doubt they placed one in him, just in case, but I wouldn't put it past their arrogance to have put it there thinking we'd never find it." Jango stiffened. The very thought that the demagolka had placed some unknown chip inside the heads of the boys was worrisome enough but for one to be inside Boba angered him beyond belief. Next to him his son shuddered and shifted away a little, sensing the burning hatred Jango had for those who would hurt children.

"Sorry, Bob'ika. I'm just worried about you and your brothers." Smiling their son scooted closer and gave him a quick hug, accepting his apology.

"Boba, I think you should go meditate in the other room. Jan'buir and I have some things to discuss and some of it would be dangerous for you." Boba pouted for a moment but sighed and nodded in understanding. He was a smart boy and he knew his parents would never keep things from him if it wasn't for his safety. "Behave and you can come with me on my next trip home, we can see your aunt and cousins." Boba's face split in a wide grin. He loved going to Mandalore and playing in the gardens at the Sundari palace with his cousins. He also loved going down into Keldabe and being spoiled rotten by the Haat Mando'ade who lived there.

"Kay. Love you buir, see you later!" Jango snorted in amusement as Boba jumped up, grabbed the meditation pillow, and quickly left the room- shutting the door behind him as he went.

"He's such a little menace." Haati chuckled, both fond and amused.

"You knew me around his age." Jango reminded him.

"And you were a little shit." Jango laughed at the disgruntled but honest response. "Then you grew into a competent leader and I was absolutely gone for you." Jango's look turned mischievous.

"Oh, so it wasn't because of my deep voice, broad shoulders, or towering height?" Even through the holo he could see his riduur's face darkening in a blush. "Just my competence as a leader. Got it." There was an annoyed huff and some rolled eyes but Haati smiled at him warmly. Stars, they had been married now for twenty-five standard years and it still never got old.

"I see where our sons gets their cheekiness from." Haati's expression darkened and Jango sat straighter, ready for the discussion to shift back into business.

"What do the chips do?" Haati let out a slow, shuddering, breath and the rage returned tenfold. It was almost too much for Jango to handle before it was suddenly gone.

"They are control chips. One order from the bastard dar'jetii and our boys are gone. Nothing more than fleshy droids who will obey orders without another thought." Jango's blood ran cold and it felt as if he couldn't breathe. Now Haati's rage made sense and it was mirrored in him.

"Do the Kaminii know?" Haati closed his eyes.

"Of course they do. They have to implant the hellish things so they'll work properly. Do they know the exact parameters? I'm not sure. Yan couldn't tell me much because he wasn't privy to that information, even as Tyrannus. But even then, I don't doubt the demagolkase were too curious for their own good and probably parsed it out even if they weren't told." Jango nodded.

"Now we just have to figure out how to get them out or turn them off."

"Think Kal's boys would be up for it? Maybe Ademar or Ajaat?" Haati named two of the Alpha ARCs who were best at slicing. Jango still wasn't sure why they had decided one day as kids that all of their names should start with A, but it was kind of endearing.

"Jaing and Ajaat work well together, he doesn't have Ademar's temper. I'll get in contact with them and see if I can get them back here asap." He hated to disrupt whatever missions they were currently on but the chips were too large a threat to leave alone.

"Stay safe, cyare." Jango wished he could reach out and hold his riduur, they'd been apart for months now due to the war.

"Stay safe, cyar'ika. I will see you when you get here." There was no hesitation in his voice. He had faith that Haati would come back to him. Manda and the Force willing.

* * *

Mando'a Translations;

Vesh'ika- Little evergreen  
Veshok- Large evergreen tree with a grain similar to oak.  
Cyar'ika- Sweetheart  
Demagolka- Someone who commits atrocities, a real-life monster, a war criminal. From the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children. He is a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche.  
Riduur- Spouse  
Ori'jetii- Jedi Council member


	23. The Calm

[Shaak]

Landing back on Kamino with Nova at her side she nodded politely at the men who greeted them. She could vaguely sense their curiosity as they looked down at her padawan but she brushed it off. They would all understand in time. "Shall we see if the Kaminoans have followed my instructions while I was gone, Padawan?" An echo of shock from the two soldiers had her padawan twitching and looking between the men with a sheepish look before he smiled at her.

"That sounds like a good idea, Master." Along their newly formed bond she could feel apprehension-dislike-wariness. None of the clones liked the Kaminoans and she understand why. The longer she was in their presence the more she had to meditate to keep her serenity. But it was not the majority of the Kaminoans she took issue with, only the scientists who considered the clones nothing more than products.

Greeting the guards and any of the men who spied her and her padawan she smiled when a few of them complimented Nova on his new 'uniform.' The boy was a little shy bu she could feel his apprehension ebbing as the older clones accepted him just as easily as before. Putting a hand on his shoulder as they waited for the lift she smiled when she saw him fiddling with the braided band around his wrist. "Once your hair grows out I will braid it properly." She said as she delicately ran her fingers through his short cropped hair. The boy smiled at her, excited by the prospect. The lift doors opened and one of the Mandalorians looked right at her before a faint smile crossed their face.

"Welcome back, Ori'jetii… jet'ika." There was a slight hesitance in the address but it was clear they were trying to be accommodating as Shaak and her padawan entered the lift.

"Vor'e, Sergeant Gilamar." _'Thanks.' _Nova said politely, putting a name to a face for his master. The man nodded politely and the lift descended into silence.

Unlike before it was not filled with discomfort or a low level of suspicion. The man was completely passive in her presence, maybe even a tad approving as he watched her and her padawan. Once they were on their way again she looked to her padawan for an explanation.

"I'm not sure, master. Maybe because I was there?" It was certainly a mystery she would have to get to the bottom of. But not now. Now she needed to settle her padawan and check in with the Mand'alor to see if everything had been running smoothly in her absence.

"After we settle in why don't you go see your brothers and reassure them that all is well?" Nova beamed at her, his excitement and joy a bright spot in the force.

"I'll do that. Thank you, master." Shaak smiled.

"You don't need to thank me, padawan."

[Rex]

They'd been given some shore leave and all of Jaig squad was chomping at the bit to get out of the barracks. With tensions high and the issue of the strange chips in their heads still being investigated it was getting harder and harder to keep everyone in line. Thankfully his ori'vod, Silver, had sent along a location on Coruscant that was very accepting of clone patrons. If Winter squad vouched for it then Rex had no doubt it was safe enough for his men.

Wearing the uniform, rather than his armor, always made Rex feel a little exposed. But the place was still only newly accepting of the clones so he didn't want to push it. Next to him in the cab Jesse and Kix were snuggled up to each other, although they were being fairly discreet about it. They'd been talking quietly in Mando'a for most of the trip. "By the way, Captain." Jesse said suddenly, catching his attention. "I commed our Healer Adept earlier and invited her along. She said she'd show up around the same time we do." He turned to give the man a narrow eyed look, noting the sharply amused slant to his mouth. Kix smacked Jesse with the back of his hand, making the man flinch and rub at his chest with a pout.

"It's Lie'ika's choice what she does with her free time and who she chooses to hang out with." Jesse let out a huff and Kix gave him a stern glare. "Rex is a good man, honorable, he'll conduct himself appropriately." He would have been offended if Kix's tone had been accusatory but the medic spoke as if he were stating a fact. Rex gave him a nod in thanks.

By now he was starting to understand that each passing moment in Liera's presence was just reaffirming what he was feeling. It wasn't just respect or physical attraction, like he'd first thought. Holding her in his arms that night, letting her pour out her grief in the safety of his quarters, had felt comfortable. Almost natural. Not to mention she hadn't seemed to mind the closeness, and after he'd walked her back to her own quarters she'd called him her captain… He shook his head and tried to put it out of his mind for the time being.

Pulling up to the bar he paid the driver and joined the rest of his squad as they took the place by storm. The music was loud, but not unbearable, as they found a large and out of the way booth to snag for themselves upstairs. Jesse, wasting no time whatsoever, pulled Kix into his lap with an unrepentant grin as the others all groaned in good natured annoyance. "What? Now there's more space for all you di'kute." _'__Idiots.'_ Came the amused reply. Kix just pressed his nose into the crook of Jesse's neck as his shoulders shook with mirth.

"I'm getting drinks. Echo, you come too. I'll need an extra set of steady hands." Once everyone had called out their drink of choice he and Echo went downstairs and placed the order. Rex was taking in the atmosphere, leaning against the counter as Echo watched one of the screens and commented on the meshgeroya match, when he felt a familiar force presence. The doors opened and Rex froze in place.

Liera smiled at a group of troopers as they waved in greeting. Her long braided hair was pinned around her head, almost like a halo, and seemed to give off a soft glow as she walked. The dress she wore had no sleeves or collar, it was held up by thin straps that showed off both her slender shoulders and collarbone. The fabric shimmered between a soft orange and a deep pink with a simple white belt at her waist. It had a form fitting top and a long flared skirt that stopped three or so inches before touching the floor. Alabaster skin glowed faintly in the low light, except for the dark patches that flowed from her shoulders down her arms. Rex recognized the symbols as the ones painted on her armor. Ka'ra help him, she actually did have tattoos!

Stopping to speak with someone she laughed and put a hand on their arm. Echo tapped his shoulder and he turned to the amused trooper, who was holding up half the drinks. Rex rolled his eyes and grabbed the other half. Before he headed up the stairs he sent out a nudge in the force. Liera's eyes snapped over to him and her smile brightened. She noticed his hands full of drinks and Echo at his side then signed 'I'll be there.' He nodded and headed upstairs to hand everyone their drinks.

A few minutes later Liera came up the stairs with a colorful cocktail in her hand and came to sit with them. "Hello, ori'vode, hello everyone!" She said cheerfully. Jesse and Kix brightened and made space for her between them and Rex as everyone else greeted her.

"Aww, you look so pretty vod'ika! Is that what you ladies were up to today?" Jesse asked, beaming at the young woman.

"Padme took Ashoka and I for some 'proper clothes,' according to her." She laughed lightly and Rex smiled in amusement. "I told her that I was fine with my uniform and armor but she insisted I needed something else for whenever we had shore leave. Or if I ever had to appear in public." She shook her head with a small grimace and took a sip of her drink, letting out a hum of approval at the taste.

"Is that alcoholic, vod'ika?" Kix asked, eyes narrowed. Everyone at the table snickered as Liera rolled her eyes.

"Of course it is. I haven't had a good drink in some time." She answered honestly. "I'm looking forward to relaxing." She glanced around the bar and a slightly disappointed look came over her. "It's just too bad this place doesn't have somewhere to dance."

"I didn't think Jedi knew how to dance." A playful look crossed her face and Rex tried not to stare.

"Where I come from dance classes were meant to help with footwork for saber forms and were mandatory for anyone who wanted to become a Diplomat. It was also a large part of Haasufeilian culture. They had ceremonial dances for almost everything."

"Speaking of your culture," Fives said with a grin. "You really do have tattoos exactly like your armor! What do they mean? If you don't mind me asking." Laying her arms out on the table, between their drinks, she motioned to her right arm.

"Starting at my wrist and going up; I have a stylized fern to symbolize herbal healing. The comet to represent physical healing, and the wing to represent spiritual healing. It means I am considered a fully trained Niihaamala, someone with gifts from the healing gods." Switching to her left arm she starts at the elbow. "This symbol is supposed to represent the star that was present the day of my birth. My name, Liera, means Starlight. The next symbol is for Hueeana, my mother, it's meant to represent a Whirpool. The last," she looks across the table at Echo with a grin, "is my grandmother, Eihmaia. Whose name translates to Echo." The man flushes shyly but smiles back.

"So why not have the star at your wrist, like the fern?" Hardcase asks curiously. Liera's face flushes pink and she sits back, letting her arms fall into her lap.

"Well… putting anything there would be… inappropriate. Since I'm not married and I have no children." Rex choked on his drink and had to turn away from the table to cough the burning liquid back up. A small hand pressed against his back and the pain in his lungs eased. When he turned around Liera was looking at him worriedly while the rest of his squad were giving him knowing looks.

"I'm fine." He said, waving her off. She nodded and turned back to the table.

"My sister's tattoos are completely different from my own. Her name, Hiena, means Rising Star, their term for a sun. Her symbol is pretty much the inverse of mine." There was a melancholic edge to her words in the force and Rex felt the urge to comfort her somehow. She smiled, and turned to Fives.

"What about your tattoos? Do you mind if I ask?" Immediately Hardcase jumped in, excited at the chance to explain his tattoos and how he wanted to add many more. They went around the table, laughing and joking with one another until he could feel the melancholy around their healer easing as a low level buzz of joy took its place.

Slowly over the course of the next few drinks Liera slid over the seat and was now leaning against his side, looking more than happy to be there. Rex looked down at her when her head finally rested against his chest before glancing over at Jesse and Kix. The medic gave him an amused look and signed 'at ease' at him before turning and distracting Jesse. Rex slid his arm around the slender woman, making it easier for her to lean against him, and felt a hum of contentment in the force.

"Anyone want another round?" Fives asked with a grin. Liera sat up and held out her glass with a bright smile.

"Gedet'ye traat'aliit vod." _'__Please, squad brother.'_ The man's jaw dropped and he gaped at their healer, momentarily struck speechless. Liera tilted her head and pouted. Kriff, it was adorable. "Me'vaar ti gar?" _'__Are you okay?'_ She asked, clearly concerned.

"N-naas, vod, what were you drinking?" _'__I'm fine.'_ She relaxed and the smile returned.

"Pink Comet." Rex snorted in amusement and she looked up at him with a questioning brow raised.

"Suits you." He said. She giggled as Fives headed down the stairs.

"Oh, wait! I wanted to try-" She leaned over Rex's lap to look past the booth and he sucked in a breath of surprise. "Fives!" She called, but the trooper was already too far to hear her. "Dammit." Standing on the seat she suddenly launched herself over the back of the booth, falling over the balcony without a care in the world. While they all understood how the force worked and knew she'd be fine everyone still scrambled to look and make sure she hadn't hurt herself. Rex let out a sigh and waved the men back down, heading down the stairs to follow their wayward healer.

On the way to the bar he heard more than one verde either chuckling or exclaiming in awe over the crazy stunt the healer had pulled. Rex wanted to roll his eyes. It was such a typical jedi thing to do. Despite how she trained, bouncing off of walls and whatnot, she didn't usually use the force outside of the battlefield or the medical bay. He could only conclude that she was a little farther into her cups than he'd thought.

"…and a Citri-berry Twist." Liera stood next to Fives, grinning up at the trooper.

"I hope that was worth it vod. I bet the captain's going to be pretty peeved when you get back. It was pretty cool though." Rex stepped up beside the man and clapped him on the back, hard. Fives let out a surprised wheeze and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Not angry, but not happy either." He said, expression blank. Turning he pointed a finger at their healer. "No more jumping off balconies. You're supposed to be the sane jedi." Liera outright laughed at him.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" She asked with a mischievous grin. "My master was a Guardian, remember? Insane battlefield tactics were his bread and butter." Fives snickered and turned back to the bartending droid as he waited for their drinks.

"I think I would have liked to meet him." Liera gave him a sad look before her eyes dropped to the floor.

"I'm not so sure about that." A shiver of dread ran down his spine.

"What do you-" A sudden shout caught his attention and he turned toward the front of the bar. A pair of troopers were helping a third to his feet, liquid dripping down the front of his uniform, as two natborns humans sneered.

"Out of the way, clone!" The amount of disdain dripping from the man's voice made Rex bristle. "I heard the rumors but I didn't think they'd be true. This place must be really hard-up for credits if they're catering to meat droids." All around him the troopers tensed, watching the two men warily.

"You can't just barge in here like that! What the hell is wrong with you?" One of the off duty medics asked as he checked over the trooper covered in alcohol.

"I can do whatever I please. My father is a Senatorial Aide." As Fives took an angry step forward Rex signed for the man to stand down. The trooper grit his teeth and backed down, although his presence remained poised for action.

"Osik, he's bleeding pretty badly and I don't have my kit. Does anyone have something to stem the bleeding with?" The medic called out, helping the wounded trooper to sit down on a nearby chair. A splash of color rushed forward and Rex cursed as Liera immediately went to help the other medic. He should have expected it.

"I don't have anything on me but I can help." She said as she stepped closer to inspect the wound. Rex knew from experience that force users could purge alcohol from their systems and that emergencies could sober nearly anyone. Of course their healer was no exception.

"He-llo! Maybe this place isn't as devoid of class as I thought." The first natborn stated as he leered at Liera's exposed back. "Hey, sweetheart, what is someone like you doing in a dingy place like this with all the trash?" Rex saw her shoulders stiffen and felt her anger through the force. She placed her hands on the wounded trooper, ignoring the natborns, and the cut on the man's head quickly closed up. Not that the two behind her seemed to notice.

"You'll be okay. Try to drink lots of water and get something sugary in you. No more alcohol." She said gently to the trooper, who was watching her with awe. The medic beside her looked relieved and nodded, giving her a quiet thank you.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" The first man reached for her and Rex moved without a thought. Grabbing the man by the wrist he tightened his grip painfully and shoved the natborn backward, stepping in front of Liera protectively. "What the kriff do you think you're doing?" Came the indignant squawk.

"Get out." He growled.

"I'll have you put down like a nix, clone! My father-" Liera spoke up from behind him, moving to stand at his side.

"Your father would be ashamed of you, when he learns you assaulted a soldier of the Republic in the presence of a Jedi." Her eyes were glowing in the low light, blazing with a righteous anger he could feel.

"You're no jedi!" The sound of chairs scraping the ground as every trooper stood up was louder than the music permeating the bar. The two natborns took a step backward as every able bodied man got ready to defend one of the few people who actually gave a damn about them.

"I'll say it again, since you didn't hear me the first time- Get. Out." Seeing nothing but enemies all around them the two natborns quickly turned tail and ran out the door without another word. Once they were gone Rex turned and flashed the 'all clear' hand sign, much to the amusement of the troopers.

Turning to Liera he looked down at her slightly bemused expression and flushed in embarrassment. He motioned for her to go ahead of him, so they could return to their table, and she nodded. On the way they grabbed everyone's drinks and headed back upstairs. Immediately Kix and Jesse dragged her in between them protectively. Liera's shoulders began to shake and everyone panicked for a moment before the first chuckles escaped her.

"Okay, that's not really the reaction we were expecting, vod'ika." Jesse said, looking confused.

"I'm sorry, you're just all so protective. It's sweet. I haven't felt this safe and welcome in a long time." She gave them both a quick hug.

Rex rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling self conscious. "I know you're strong enough to have dealt with it on your own, you're trained as a jedi, I just-" Liera shushed him, leaning over Kix to put a finger directly in his face.

"Hush. You're a natural protector, an elder brother, and ner Alor'ad. I get it." _'__My Captain.'_ Rex's face turned red and the flash of heat he'd felt from before returned twofold. Liera's eyes widened suddenly in surprise and she slowly returned her hand to her lap, looking baffled. Across the table from them Hardcase spat out his drink.

"Ner!?" Everyone looked between the two of them and- wow. He really didn't want to get into it right now. Not in a bar… in front of everyone.

"W-was that wrong?" Biting on her bottom lip, looking uncertain, her gaze swept over the members of his squad and he wanted to groan. Ka'ra have mercy.

"Ner is… it's a possessive, vod'ika. Didn't you notice that we only call him Cuun Alor'ad or Te Alor'ad?" _'__Our Captain or The Captain.'_ She turned to Kix, uncertain.

"But you and Jesse-?" She seemed to realize her mistake suddenly and her face flushed a dark pink. She turned toward him, looking almost frantic. "I'm so sorry, Rex! That must have been so uncomfortable for you!" Rex opened and closed his mouth a few times before he just gave up.

"I don't actually… mind." Looking around at the smug looks of his squad mates he wanted to slam his head against the table. "Why don't I take you back to the temple and we can have a talk?" Complexion still a dark pink she looked down at her hands for a moment before nodding and standing. Rex caught Kix's eyes and read the approval, then saw Jesse's glare and nodded at the unspoken threat. Holding his hand out for her to take he had to tamp down on his own embarrassment as she bid the rest of the squad good-night.

They caught a cab fairly quickly and asked to be taken to the Temple. Then Rex closed the divider so he and Liera had some privacy. Taking a couple of calming breaths he turned to regard her carefully.

[Liera]

Her heart was pounding in her ears by the time she finally had the courage to look at the captain. Rex gave her a reassuring smile, his expression open. She could sense apprehension, nervousness, concern, and embarrassment. But beneath those surface emotions was a strong beat of affection, loyalty, and respect. It wasn't that she hadn't known the captain was having certain feelings around her, it came with her natural abilities. She had sensed his arousal a few times but always brushed it off. Sentients had very fleeting flashes of emotion that could often be driven purely by biology. She herself could admit to finding certain people very attractive and subconsciously reacting to them. What she hadn't expected was how deep those feelings ran, how conscious they were.

"Where do you want to start?" He asked, voice calm. Liera shrugged, unsure. Rex let out a fond sigh that had her wrinkling her nose at him in amusement. "Where would you start if I were a patient?" Liera frowned.

"I… really don't want to think of you as a patient right now. But, I think I know where we can start." Shifting closer she reached for his hand and gently took it. Looking down at their hands he slowly closed his around hers. Carefully she opened herself to him, lowering her shields and allowing him in. "There's something I wanted to tell you from the first moment we met. I was afraid to say it because I was worried how you might take it." Rex blinked at her, surprised, and motioned her to continue. "Rex, your soul is beautiful." She felt his surprise-pleasure-embarrassment and hid a smile. "It's like a warm sunset. At least, the way I see it."

"…that's what I feel like to you?" He asked quietly. She nodded and carefully sent him the images and sensations she experienced whenever she looked at his force presence.

"Brave, loyal, protective, kind, generous, and strong. You take care of others because it's the right thing to do- you care." Even with his dark complexion she could tell he was blushing. Raising his hand he cupped her face gently, almost reverently.

"I was wary of you, at first. But over time I learned to respect you as a medic, as someone who cared about my men, my brothers. As someone who treated us as real people. After the Blue Shadow Virus thing I couldn't stop thinking about how fierce and determined you were to do right by everyone." He chuckled. "Then the Queen tried to give you a title as a reward and you practically hid behind everyone." His eyes were bright with mirth and it made her heart race. "It was adorable. You never did anything for yourself, it was always about helping others." She shook her head.

"That's not true. I've done a lot for myself. Standing up to the Jedi Council was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I'm glad I did. The 501st has become my family, something I never thought I'd have again." Rex's hand tightened around hers, squeezing gently in reassurance.  
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you but I wasn't sure if I should." Rex stated, looking torn. "I want to invite you into Jaig Squad but that would mean putting yourself in a lot more danger out in the field. We're the ones who have to keep up with Anakin." Leaning into his hand she laughed lightly.

"I would love to be part of Jaig Squad, although my ori'vode might have something to say about that." Rex snorted in amusement.

"They'd be glad they could keep an eye on you even more than before. The only problem with being part of Jaig Squad is that you wouldn't be in the medical bay as often. You'd have squad responsibilities." She frowned.

"If I'm on the field I could save those who were hurt before it's too late." And if she had time between each campaign she could still do her therapy sessions with the men and help out in the medbay. "I'll join Jaig Squad. I want to do more."

"I'll let Anakin know when I see him next and update the paperwork. You know this means you'll need an actual military rank, right?" She huffed.

"Great, now the men will be calling me sir all the time." Rex's laugh was a pleasant sound, she could get used to hearing it.

A tap on the window alerted them and Rex let her go to open it. "We're here. Can't get any closer with all the extra security." Rex thanked the driver and paid him before helping her out of the taxi.

"I'll walk you to the door." He offered, holding out his arm for her to take. Snickering she looped her arm around his and they set off together. After a few minutes of silence he looked down at her, she could feel his apprehension but it was being overshadowed by determination.

"Liera… I know that we're currently at war, and we can't have any distractions, but I wanted you to know just how much I admire you." Pulling him to a stop before the stairs she turned to him fully.

"It's clear we both care about each other, Rex, but there's something you need to remember." He looked at her in confusion as she climbed a couple of stairs. Reaching up she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm a free woman, not a jedi. If I want to start a relationship I can." Carefully one of his arms wrapped around her waist as his other hand went to cradle her neck.

"Thank the Ka'ra for that." He muttered before his lips met hers.

The kiss was slow, gentle, and sweet. The force felt electrified and for a brief moment it was as if they were one being, rather than two. Breaking apart for breath she looked up into his bright amber eyes. "Ner Alor'ad." _'__My Captain.'_ He chuckled.

"Ner Cyar'ika." _'__My sweetheart.'_ As he let her go he twined his fingers with hers and lifted their arms so he could kiss the back of her hand. Neither of them could stop smiling.


	24. Star Light, Star Bright

[This was going to be in Loose Threads but I feel like no one actually reads those and this is _very_ important for Liera's character development.]

Before she even set foot on the surface of the planet Liera knew she was not going to enjoy whatever it was her master had in mind. He had been quiet the entire trip, reminiscing she believed. When asked he told her he would explain everything once they were there and she trusted him to keep to his word. After all there was no reason to not believe him.

"Welcome to Tarrasi, a planet in the Adega system." Stepping onto the ramp she looked out at the barren wasteland and a shiver of dread ran through her. No matter how much she strained her senses she could find no signs of life. Not in the air, on the ground, or below it. Every once in a while she thought she could sense a small echo of something but by the time she zeroed in on it- it was gone.

"Master?" He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"It is a tradition of our lineage to come to this system and search for our crystals. Starting all the way back before this world was stripped bare. Before you can come with me into the field you will need to build your own lightsabers." He looked at her and smiled, trust and belief clear in his eyes. "I know you can do it, little starlight. I have faith in you." She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, looking out into the void of hazy static that was a world entirely dead to her senses.

"I won't let you down." Gathering her things she checked over her medkit, grabbed a small stash of rations and canteen of water, and made sure her knife was safely tucked into her boot. Her master handed her cloak to her and she quickly threw it over her shoulders. No doubt the planet would be cold and windy with nowhere to hide from the bare elements. Standing on the very edge of the ramp she turned and bowed to her master. "I am grateful to you, Master, for all of your hard work and dedication. Thank you for choosing someone selfish like me." With that she turned and took her first step onto the dead planet, reaching to the force for guidance.

At first everything seemed alright. Every now and again she would reach back and feel her master's steady presence in the force and would let out a sigh of relief before putting one foot in front of the other once again. But the farther she walked the more apprehensive she became. Her master was so far away and her sense of him was becoming strained. _'I'm sorry, padawan. This is something you must do alone.'_ She felt the brush of his mind suddenly and jumped, turning on her heel to look back.

Then she found herself alone. Utterly, completely, alone.

Her master's presence, even in her mind, seemed to vanish completely and she stood rooted to the spot. Her eyes strained against the backdrop of grays and dark browns, though they all seemed to blend into one another making her feel a little dizzy. There was nothing for her to cling to, no life signs in the force to guide her path. It was like standing in the midst of a yawning void and all at once she felt completely blind. Her breathing became quick and shallow, cold sweat chilled her skin, and she began to shake.

She wondered how long she stood there forlornly, unable to take another step for fear that she would fall into nothingness. _'You are not alone.'_ Gasping she turned toward the source of the whisper, wondering if she was hearing things that weren't there. From her training she knew that those exposed to deprivation of the senses could begin hallucinating. _'We are waiting.'_ Another voice, similar yet different, called out to her.

Tentatively she took a step towards the voices. The force rippled around her and she let out a shuddering breath. "I am not alone. The Force is with me." She had to have faith. This was the path she chose herself. She couldn't quit just because she feared what lay ahead. One day she would have to continue on without her master to guide her. One day she may lose her crechemates to a mission gone wrong. Faltering now was as good as giving up. Clenching her fists around the fabric of her cloak she took another step. Then another.

She walked until exhaustion finally caught up to her and she had to take a break. Sitting in a small rocky alcove out of the wind she ate one of her ration bars and drank as much water as she felt she could get away with while keeping a good amount for emergencies. She would have to make the trip back and she couldn't be certain there was any water to be found on the planet. Even if there was she couldn't be certain it was safe to drink.

Leaning back against the rocky wall she pulled her knees to her chest and bundled herself up in her cloak. She wasn't aware of when she fell asleep but she woke immediately when a voice called out to her. "Ad'ika? Ad'ika! Motir, gar nu'morut'yc olar." She didn't understand the words, although they felt warm and familiar to her. Slowly she got to her feet and peered out into the wasteland. A figure in very familiar armor stood there and she had to blink multiple times in confusion. To all of her senses save her eyesight there was no one there. If this was some sort of force ghost wouldn't she be able to sense them? "Slanar. Mhi cuyir parerla." She swore she could feel a hand press against her back, urging her forward.

Time did not seem to pass as she continued her trek across the wasteland. Static tickled the edges of her senses and she became more aware of her own self than she had ever felt before. It was almost as if she were a foreign entity, something she had never encountered before. Her heartbeat, her breathing, the feeling of her clothes brushing against her skin as she walked. It was as if she were being lit from within and it was all too much.

At some point she must have collapsed, though she didn't remember tripping over anything or hitting the ground. Opening her eyes to the face of a kind older man he smiled and held out his hand to her. "You cannot falter here, padawan. There is much for you to do." Without a second thought she took the man's hand and stood. She bowed once she was back on her feet.

"Thank you master…" She waited for an introduction. When none was forthcoming she looked up to find the man was no longer there. Only the same barren land as before, although the gray was starting to overshadow the brown and the ground was a lot less stable now.

She stopped for another break and wondered how far she had traveled. She wished the planet had wood so she might make a campfire as the sun finally seemed to dip below the horizon. She at least felt lucky there were no lifeforms on the planet for her to be wary of, although the idea of no life at all still made her stomach want to cramp with anxiety. Closing her eyes she tried to meditate on the force but found it difficult over the overwhelming sense of her own presence.

"You've got a ways to go yet, ad'ika. Don't give up now." A pale skinned man with salt and pepper hair, wearing armor, crouched across from her. He gave her a curt nod and stood. "We're waiting for you." A gust of wind threw sand into her face and she closed her eyes instinctively. When she opened them again the man was gone.

Why had she seen two men in armor? And who was the jedi master she'd met earlier? Were these hallucinations or visions? Liera's connection to the Unifying force had always been exceptionally weak. If anyone back home had told her she'd seen a vision even she would laugh it off as ridiculous.

Night fell but it didn't matter much to her. If anything the softer light made it easier to keep her footing over the increasingly rocky terrain. Climbing up a steep incline she found herself standing in front of a dark maw. It was some sort of cave, she was certain. Something in her peripheral made her stiffen before she turned to look up at a tall man with blonde hair. He glanced down at her and smiled sadly, a scar across one very blue eye.

"It'll be dangerous. But I know you're up for the task. The men believe in you, and I do too. We'll be waiting for you on other side." Then he just faded into the moonlight, as if he had never been there to begin with.

_'This way.'_ Twin voices called as one, bringing her attention back to the opening of the cave.

Taking a deep breath she followed the urgings of the force and with careful steps entered into the all encompassing darkness of the cave.

If she thought the loss of the ability to sense living things was bad then the loss of her sight on top of that was almost debilitating. Hands against the wall she stumbled as she crept along, wholly reliant on the faint sense of something calling to her. Her hands felt raw as she slid them along the rock, too afraid to let go in case she was swallowed by the darkness.

"Just let go, my dear." She jumped as a sultry voice spoke right next to her. "The dark has much to offer you if you only let go." Shaking her head she kept moving, ignoring the cold that seemed to seep into her bones.

"I-" Her voice cracked and she coughed. How long had it been since she'd spoken aloud? "I am a healer! I w-won't fall to the dark."

"I could help you escape this place. We want the same thing. To bring life back to dead worlds like this one. With my power you could fix this." Liera shook her head emphatically.

"That is not the way. Death is a part of life." There was a disappointed sigh before what felt like sharp nails dug into her arm. She let out a hiss of pain and her feet seemed to slow of their own accord, almost as if someone was holding her back. Struggling to pull away she felt tears at the corners of her eyes. She was so close to reaching her goal, she knew she was. But this cold cloying thing wouldn't let her go.

Suddenly a light from ahead blinded her and she had to blink spots out of her strained eyes. The thing holding her arm shied back, their grip loosening.

"Come on! This way, while she's distracted!" The voice of a child called out to her and she latched onto the voice as if it was the only thing in the world. Lurching forward she fell when the wall she was leaning against suddenly disappeared.

"It's okay now, you're almost there!" A little boy with soft blue eyes said as he wriggled under her right arm.

"We're all waiting for you." A little girl with brown eyes added as she slipped under her left arm. As one the children helped her to stand and she took a couple of steps forward. It was only after pausing for breathe that she realized the children were gone. She had been walking alone.

Ahead of her she sensed something calling to her. This was the final stretch, her goal was in sight. 'This way, we're here!' Entering a small chamber she fell to her knees before a rocky shelf. The force sang and she felt relief sweep through her. Resting on the shelf were two faintly glowing crystals that reached out to her in welcome.

_'You are not alone.'_ They seemed to say. _'We are here.'_ Reaching for them she cradled them in her hands and felt their warmth fill her with strength. _'We will protect you.'_ It felt like a solemn promise.

She cried in joy.

[Ashfurr]

Three days. His padawan had been gone now for three whole days. Looking at himself in the fresher mirror he grimaced at his disheveled appearance. How many times had he run his hands through his short hair? How many times had he paced around the outside of the ship hoping for a glimpse of the ten year old girl he had sent off into a force forsaken wasteland? He had thought she was ready. But what if he had sent her to die? Alone… in the middle of nowhere.

His anxiety was hitting an all new high and meditation was becoming difficult. Whenever he consulted the force it would brush against his mind in what he thought might have been a manner meant to soothe. But it did not bring him calm or peace of mind.

Stalking out of the ship again he paced back and forth, trying to disperse his nervous energy as best he could. Reaching out with his senses he felt something at the edge of his awareness and stopped. Far off in the distance he saw something fluttering in the wind, white and ashy gray. He was running before he even registered what it was he was seeing.

When he reached Liera she was an absolute mess. There was blood on the knees of her leggings, torn as if she had slipped and fallen hard. Her hands were clutched tightly to her chest and her hair was plastered to her skin. Looking up at him she blinked, as if unsure. Opening the bond with her he felt it snap back into place and she startled before a wide smile lit up her face and eyes.

"There you are, master. I thought you were another mirage…" She wobbled and he reached out to hold her shoulders, making sure she didn't fall over. Slowly she pulled her arms away from her body and unclenched her hands. In the middle of her palms were two clear crystals that sang into the force with such a strong presence he was surprised he hadn't sensed them first.

"I'm so proud of you, padawan." Pulling her into a gentle hug he felt her melt into his side, trembling faintly with exhaustion. Picking her up he was careful of the bumps and scrapes as he carried her to the small medbay aboard the ship.

He didn't know what she'd meant by mirage but he had no doubt she'd had a vision of some kind. It wasn't really important in any case. His little Starlight was home now, and that was all that mattered.


	25. Before

Startling awake when her comm blares a priority alert she groans and reaches for the night stand, sighing when her arm comes up short. With an amused snort Rex grabs the comm and hands it to her. Rolling her eyes at him, letting him feel her amusement in the force, she slips out of his arms and dresses quickly. Sitting up behind her the man stretches his arms above his head before getting out of bed and searching for his uniform. But not before tangling his hand in her hair and kissing her as if nothing else in the galaxy mattered. By the time he was finished Liera was absolutely breathless, both from the lack of oxygen and the delightful tingles running through her as Rex tugged gently on her hair. He had found quite quickly the night before just how sensitive she was and what it could do to her.

"You are incorrigible." She mutters, their faces close as he rests his forehead against hers. His shoulders shake with mirth and he goes back to getting dressed.

"Guilty as charged, ner mesh'la cyar'ika." _'__My beautiful sweetheart.'_ Turning away from him so she isn't distracted she opens the comm channel and is met with the sight of a Kel Dorian jedi master. One she recognized from the Council.

"Ah, it is nice to finally speak with you, young Healer. I am Jedi Master Plo Koon, I do not believe we were ever properly introduced." Liera smiled at the master.

"I have heard good things about you, Master Koon. Wolffe is your commander, correct?" There was a slight crinkling near his eyes and Liera knew the male was smiling.

"He is indeed. Now, on to important matters. There is a debriefing taking place in an hour and I have been informed by Master Kenobi that he believes you should be a part of it." The male stilled for a moment. "Would you happen to know where Major Rex is? We are having trouble contacting him and he is also needed at this debrief." Liera didn't miss a beat.

"I know where he is and will notify him. Is that all Master Koon?" The Kel Dorian chuckled.

"That is all. Give my regards to the Major." The master closed the comm channel and she turned to give Rex a confused look. The man had his face in his hands and was letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Do I want to know?" She asked teasingly.

"Wolffe is one of my ori'vode and despite looking like a stoic shabuir he's one of the biggest gossips in the GAR." The look on his face was one she imagined all younger siblings made at some point in their lives, when their older siblings did something to greatly annoy them. There was also a faint blush crossing his cheeks that was very charming.

"I don't mind if they know. As long as it won't reflect poorly on you or get you into trouble." Putting her comm on her belt she went to him and stood on the tips of her toes, kissing him on the cheek. "The jedi might scrutinize me a little more than before but I can handle it." Relationships were not forbidden, or they hadn't been when she was a padawan. Everything would be well as long as she did not waver on her path and begin to obsess about keeping Rex safe above all else. Besides, she was no longer a Jedi and was not bound by the rules of the Order.

"Wolffe trusts General Koon. His troops call him General Buir behind his back, although he probably knows by now. So I don't think we have anything to worry about." Leaving her quarters together they walked the halls side by side, ignoring the looks they received from some of the more strict jedi. Liera wasn't a part of the Order anymore, for all that she worked with them. If they wished to criticize her for having a romantic partner they could talk to her superiors. Considering what she knew about Skywalker and Kenobi she doubted anything would come of it.

Finding the briefing room she followed behind Rex, who gave the Generals a quick salute as he entered. Anakin eyed Rex as if he had never seen the man before while Obi-wan glanced between the two of them before letting out a small huff of mild amusement. Kote gave his brother a look that was as dry as a desert, his spirit flashing with jealousy briefly, before turning his attention back to the holotable. Liera wasn't sure what that was about but she assumed it was something the brothers would have to work out for themselves.

Standing between the two of them was the Kel Dorian master she had spoken to, Plo Koon. The skin around his eyes and mask crinkled and she knew he was smiling at them. Now that she'd had a chance to take a good look at the male she could see the deep well of kindness and steadfastness within him. It was like looking at the bottom of a clear pool of blue-green water and watching the shadows of the rippling water spread across the surface.

"…couldn't help but notice that there is a priority transfer on file here. Care to explain yourself, Major?" Blinking back to awareness she watched Rex square off against Anakin and frowned. Had something happened while she was distracted? Wait… was Anakin actually using Rex's proper rank now? She knew that the troops called him Captain as a bit of a running joke but she had thought that Anakin was in on it. Had he not actually known that Rex was a Major until recently?

…she worried she had missed a few things in their sessions together and swore she would do better to help the young man bridge this strange gap in his mind where common sense seemed to fall right through.

"I asked if she wanted to be placed in a squad so she could get out into the field more often, she agreed. Jaig squad has two spots open and she already knows each man personally. Besides, with the way you and the Commander throw yourselves into the battle I think having another force sensitive along, who is also a medic, would be a great idea." Rex's amber eyes bore into Anakin's blue before Obi-wan made a thoughtful noise.

"She was responsible for getting to the bottom of our little Geonosian problem, and finding out about our… other issue. I don't think it could hurt to have her in the field." He glanced between her and Rex then gave her a stern look. "I have no doubt she will hold herself to the proper standards for one associated with the Order." It made her want to let out a long sigh about how blatant the warning was. Obi-wan thought he was more subtle than Anakin but sometimes he was just as obvious.

"Of course, Masters. I will conduct myself as I have been taught since I was in the creche." She smiled when Master Koon picked up on her specific choice of words first with Obi-wan and Anakin not far behind. The redhead gave her a long suffering look before dropping the subject.

"Very well, Rex. I approve of the transfer. She'll be added to the training schedule, if she thinks she can keep up." Liera looked to Rex, feeling a little apprehensive. Being able to keep up was easy to say but far more difficult to achieve. Especially since she was easily half the size of the troopers.

"We'll get her up to speed in no time, Sir." Anakin nodded and turned his attention back to the holotable.

"Our troops have decrypted an intercepted audio transmission between Ventress and Grievous. Patching it through now." The blue figures were ones she had only seen briefly during the days she had studied the progression of the war so far. Being out of the loop entirely had not sat well with her, especially when knowing there were past traumas the troops had suffered through and associated with certain planets. Like Geonosis. No clone liked that dusty planet filled with bugs, and for good reason.

"…the clone planet of Kamino will be a dangerous target." A hooded figure with a feminine voice.

"Just make sure you hold up your half of the mission! We must stop the production of new clones if we are to win this war." The raspy modulated voice sent shivers of dread down her spine.

"Kamino." Liera had heard of the stormy planet, the one the clones talked of in half fond remembrance and half fearful whispers.

"They're going to attack our home planet." Rex said, clenching his fists at his side. Kote looked no better.

"The Separatists are taking quite the chance even considering this." Obi-wan observed, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"With all due respect, General," Rex started. "If someone comes to threaten our home they better be carrying a big blaster." The flame that was Rex's spirit burned hotter for a moment before calming.

"I concur with Major Rex, Sir. This is personal for us clones." Kote added, pushing aside whatever issue he had with his brother in order to focus on the current predicament.

"We'll make sure Kamino is secure. Tell your troopers in the 501st they're going home." The two men straightened their posture.

"Yes Sir." Turning to leave with them she was stopped by Obi-wan calling to her.

"Did you need something, General?" She asked politely, hands at her sides.

"There are a few things I would like to brief you on before we leave." He turned and motioned toward the Kel Dorian jedi. "Likewise Master Koon was hoping for a moment of your time."

"I am at your disposal, Masters." Master Koon walked around the table until he was standing before her.

"I was curious about your seeming inability to move certain objects with the force." She stiffened slightly, trying not to feel like a criticized youngling. "I wish to test a theory of mine, if you would allow me." The male meant her no harm and his intentions were only to help, it was very clear to see. But she still hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "Thank you. It should take no longer than an hour at most. I shall wait outside for you to finish speaking with Obi-wan and will take you to the grounds where we may conduct out tests." With that he gave her a polite bow and swept gracefully out of the room.

"…he's so warm." Obi-wan let out a chuckle.

"He is a master I have a great amount of respect for." Liera could understand why. The male was as serene as a mirror still lake. "Now then. It pains me to bring this to your attention but as you are still technically on probation I feel it is my duty to-" Liera paled then blushed when she realized where this was going.

"Stop right there. I do not need to have this conversation with you, Obi-wan Kenobi." The man huffed, indignant at being interrupted. "I had this conversation myself with a knight recently and I will not be on the receiving end. All you need to know is that myself and the Major are both responsible adults who understand the risks as well as our duties." She shook her head. "Besides that, I am not a Jedi and neither is the Major." Obi-wan frowned but nodded in understanding.

"Moving on then. Do you know anything about Kamino?" Liera grit her teeth and took a few calming breaths.

"I do. What I have learned makes me very apprehensive about going there. I'm worried what I might see if I look at one of these Kaminiise." Obi-wan nodded in sympathy.

"Stick with your squad and let Anakin or I know if something becomes too much for you. Kamino is home to millions of clones from fetuses to those almost ready for deployment. Not to mention the Mandalorian trainers who live and work there still." Liera was a little curious about the Mandalorians, to be honest. Everything she was learning from the clones stemmed from Mandalorian culture.

"I'll let you or Anakin know. Thank you, Obi-wan, for looking out for me." She received a warm smile and couldn't help but to return it.

"Go on, don't keep Master Plo waiting. He looks serene but he can be just as energetic as Anakin when he wants to test a theory." Liera laughed and left Obi-wan alone in the briefing room, bowing to Master Koon when she spotted him.

"Whenever you're ready, Master Koon." There was a spark of excitement-amusement-joy that sang around her.

[Plo Koon]

The young woman at his side shines in the force, as one who follows the path of light is wont to do. Her tunics are not quite those of a Jedi but they are clearly an homage to her upbringing. Her vibrant eyes almost seemed tow watch everything about her nigh constantly, as if following every life form who strode through the winding halls of the temple. Ever since she had first appeared and given them the vision of the dark void that surrounded the Chancellor he had been curious how different her perception of the force was.

"Are you not nervous about being tested?" He asked as they walked, keeping his pace slow so she might be able to walk beside him without trouble. She was quite a bit smaller than him, after all.

"No, Master Koon. I am not afraid of being tested. I've already proven that I can take care of myself and I have faith in the force." Her words were spoken with conviction, a determination he had not seen in their young ones for some time now. With the war on all of their young seemed to be losing faith. Considering the circumstances he understood why.

"It is commendable, to put such faith I the force." The young woman smiled a little wryly.

"My faith is not in the force alone, Master. I have people who I care about deeply, people who support me and believe in me." She looked up at him, expression unreadable. "The temple's teachings seem to have changed quite a bit since my time." There was a sense of pain behind her shields and the Kel Dorian Master wondered how she was coping with the weight of her travel through time. "There is an emphasis on non-attachment that is... nigh on negligent."

"Oh?" He said gently, hoping she would speak her mind on the matter more if he did not push.

"During my time they were still teaching 'Emotion yet peace.' As sapient, sentient, beings we are not above the reactions of our bodies or the imperfections of our minds. We have emotions. To try and completely disregard them isn't good for anyone's mental health." She frowned. "Is it any wonder that the people of the Republic believe you are all unfeeling and unknowable beings of power with questionable morals?"

"So you wish us to change the code?" She shook her head emphatically.

"I only wish you would look at the code, really look, and try to understand how it could be unnerving to outsiders. Some of those I have worked with, even within the Order, believe that 'attachment' and 'love' are the same thing, and that... really shouldn't be the case. Whoever is explaining it to the Initiates is doing a poor job, Master Koon."

Considering the one who had been teaching that class for the past three hundred years was Master Yoda, Plo was uncertain what to say in that regard. "So you believe that we have perpetuated a misunderstanding?" She nodded.

"Have you ever spoken to the Healers, Master Koon? Really asked them how they view the Code and what their methods are? I assure you they would be quite... vauge when trying to explain their methods. Do you know why?" He shook his head sadly. He did not. "Because they use emotion, and somehow focusing on emotion while using the force has become some sort of taboo." Her hands clenched at her sides for a moment before she let out a long sigh. "But determination to not lose a patient, compassion for another's pain, understanding someone else's needs, none of these are bad things. As long as you know how to let go." There was a distant look in her eyes that he understood quite well. Loss and grief. Yet that bitterness was tempered by a kind of serenity he had seen in jedi three times her age. It was an acceptance of death as part of the circle of life.

"You are working with Master Gallia to create a holocron, are you not?" Her face colored, turning a pastel pink in what must have been her species' equivalent to a blush.

"I am honored she asked me, and that she has been aiding me in figuring out what knowledge I should pass on. There seems to be a lot of skills that are no longer being taught because it is assumed to be common knowledge. But in my experience even the simplest of things can be missed if one isn't taught to think critically." She pursed her lips. "While the temple is stable in its teachings I see no one challenging the interpretation of the Code. I see no diversity in thought. It all feels so... stagnant."

Plo was surprised to hear many of the complaints Dooku had once raised to the council parroted by a young woman who had never met the they truly changed so much? Or were her memories of the past making her unable to form an unbiased opinion? Only time would really tell.

Entering the testing room the young woman took one look at the stones and grimaced, like a youngling forced to eat their vegetables. He let out a chuckle and earned himself a half frustrated and half amused narrowing of the eyes from the young healer.

"I take it you are not fond of this particular test?" She let out a sigh.

"Not in the slightest." Pulling a tie out of her pocket she quickly pulled her hair up and out of her face. "I've always struggled with this. I very nearly didn't pass my Initiates Exams because of it." Considering the way that Obi-wan and Adi spoke about her abilities with the force it was odd she had such a hard time with a simple control exercise.

"Before you get started I would like to try something with you, if you would be amenable." She nodded slowly, waiting to hear his proposition. "I wish to link my senses with your own while you attempt this. I feel like it would deepen our understanding of you and your ability to see with the force."

"It can be a bit overwhelming, I'm told, but if you're certain this will help with... whatever it is you're trying to do then I don't mind." Placing a hand on her shoulder he sank into his own mind before reaching out for hers.

Tentatively she allowed him past her shields where he found a surprisingly organized mind that, although flooded with emotion, was orderly and controlled. His surprise earned him a nudge of amusement before he was led further inside.

Connecting his senses to hers was a disorienting experience, since their species were quite different. But when he finally opened his eyes he found a world awash with colors. Lifting her hand to her face she slowly pulled it away. The farther it became the less substance it seemed to have, less solidity. It became a faint glow in the shape of an appendage. Almost like an afterimage.

"My eyesight itself is quite poor, although I am not blind. The healers of my time tried to correct it with surgery and the force but it seems to be a problem with my brain, rather than my eyes themselves. I just can't interpret the signals the same way most humans and near-humans can." He sent along a wave of understanding and moved on to the next interesting fact about the woman's senses- her sense of space and hearing.

If he didn't know they had entered into the closed room a moment ago he would swear they were in a large open space. A minute pulse in the air, a shift of air current, and he suddenly 'saw' the walls. "Do your people have some form of echolocation?" He asked curiously.

"The vibrissae in my hair function similarly to a Togruta's montrals." It must have taken her some time growing up to stop walking into inanimate objects. There was a giggle and he sent along a questioning feeling. "Are you ready for the overwhelming part?" Steeling himself he nodded.

The world exploded into light and he almost wanted to blink his eyes, although in actuality he was seeing with his mind. The walls came into being around them suddenly, shimmering faintly as if they were alive. Expanding her awareness he watched as orbs of brightly colored light went about their day as if everything was perfectly normal. Turning the young woman looked at him and smiled.

What she saw of him made him gasp. "What do the colors mean?" She shrugged.

"Every Haasufeilian interprets them differently. But I personally interpret greens as being more in line with nurturing and compassion while blues are steadfastness and intelligence. You have a beautiful soul, Master Koon, and I can see why your men adore you." He smiled down at the young lady.

"Thank you." She nodded and turned back around, focusing her attention on other force presences to give him an idea what others felt like to her senses. There was one in particular that shone like a beacon of light, he didn't need to ask who it was.

Turning his attention to the young woman in front of him he frowned. "Can you not see your own self with your abilities?" She shook her head.

"No, and I am told that no one in my species can." She looked thoughtful. "My guess is that being able to see oneself would be too disorienting so our minds just cancel out our own signal." It made a strange sort of sense, he supposed.

"Are you ready to try and lift the stones?" She bit her lip and he could feel her apprehension. Smoothing away the tension he sent her the sensation of a gentle hug, which seemed to calm her considerably.

Slowly she reached out to the stones, the force responding to her will like any properly trained jedi. But as she reached for the first stone it was almost as if something was interfering. The stone itself was hazy around the edges and the more she concentrated on reaching it the more hazy it became. Almost as if it wasn't truly there to begin with. After a moment she stopped and took a deep breath, centering herself and releasing the first hints of frustration and negative emotion into the force. Reaching once again she slowly wrapped the force around the stone, rather than suffusing it with power. It took an immense amount of concentration for her to lift the stone and Plo found himself intrigued. Once she had set the stone back down he released her hold on the force and sagged slightly.

"I can see where you are having difficulty, young one." Looking back at him she raised an eyebrow at his choice of words. Perhaps both. "Why does the stone look hazy when you attempt to reach it?" He asked her gently.

"Because it is a dead thing." Was her quick and easy response.

"What makes something dead?"

"I'm... not sure. Animals, plants, even water all feels alive to me. Anywhere there is a life-force, no matter how small. But stone? Metal? Even crystals are dead to me unless they have the force. I can barely sense Kyber, and only because jedi infuse them with the force when they build their lightsaber. My Mephite crystals had the force in them to begin with, so I only needed to follow their voices." Looking at the weapons on her belt he could see them as clearly as any youngling in her eyes. Both shone with their own colors. One primarily blue and red while the other was green and yellow. They sensed his focus and warily reached for him through Liera. Once they were satisfied he was not a threat to their charge they retreated, content to guard their sensitive force user from danger.

"Perhaps it is your own mind that has enforced these restrictions?" The young woman went quiet, seriously thinking about the idea.

"I'm almost certain it is, Master Koon. But I'm not sure how to go about changing that perception. I would even go so far as to say I am afraid to try. What if I gain the ability to move stones and bend metal... what might I lose in exchange? I have chosen my path and even with these difficulties I wouldn't change a thing." Pulling his awareness inward he carefully maneuvered himself out of the young woman's mind. As he did so he took one last look through her fascinating perception in the force and took note of the way the force seemed to warp the closer he came to the Senate Dome.

"Thank you for that experience, young one. I believe it has opened up a world of new possibilities for me." Liera smiled.

"It was no trouble, Master Koon. If you have more tests you would like to perform at another date, when we are not otherwise engaged, I would be happy to accommodate you." He smiled.

"I shouldn't keep you any longer, you have a mission to pack for." He watched her until she was outside of the room before he turned his attention toward where he had 'seen' the warping of the force.

"A theory indeed."

[Kote]

Waiting for the others in the war room aboard the Negotiator he let out a sigh. Seeing his brother and Liera coming into the debrief together with such a clear connection between Rex's disappearance the night before and his slightly rumpled uniform was affecting him more than he thought it would. While Liera was a good person, she had proven herself to be their ally more than once, he couldn't help the flash of jealousy that ran through him. Rex had always been far more reckless and willing to take risks than he was and it showed.

Meanwhile Kote couldn't even get the words out. No matter how much he wanted to tell Obi-wan that he cared for him and wanted to be more than simply comrades in arms. But he knew the moment he opened his mouth he would be unable to take the words back, and the idea that Obi-wan might reject him terrified him. He didn't want the warmth they shared now to disappear all because he selfishly wanted more than the man could give.

On the other hand he would always be there the moment that Obi-wan needed him. Even if it was just to remind him that, like most sentient beings of the galaxy, he needed to eat and sleep. He could not survive on tea and the force alone. Thankfully he now had someone else more than willing to nag at his stubborn cyare when he was being an idiot.

"Alright there, Commander?" Waxer and Boil entered together and he gave them a nod in greeting. "I can feel you brooding from here." Giving the man a heated glare he dropped it when he felt the worried brush of Waxer's mind against his. The man was a powerful empath, he should have known his emotions would be 'overheard.'

"I will be fine, Waxer. It's just this business with Grievous and Ventress aiming to attack Kamino..." Both of his men returned his look with understanding ones of their own. They knew exactly who was on Kamino that had him so worried. Of course Waxer could sense it wasn't the whole truth but thankfully backed off.

When everyone was present he looked over his force sensitive brothers in arms. "We're going to have to be careful how we do this. We can't go showing off and letting the enemy realize what we can do. That would just make the enemy leader act sooner than we're ready." He gave each of them a stern look, Rex included. His brother at least had the courtesy to look chastised, even if he didn't feel it in the force. "I won't re-instate the Ranov'la Protocols but I want each and every one of you to reign yourselves in. Although there are jetii we trust, our Generals, the Commander, and the Healer, there are a lot of natborn officers here that would never understand." Some of the natborns still found their presence alarming or disturbing and did their best to avoid them.

"Who else knows?" Glancing over at Kano he acknowledged the man's question with a small nod."

All of the Jedi High Generals know about us, although only Ob-General Kenobi and Healer Liera know who and exactly how many in the 3rd Systems Army." Someone snickered and he glared around the room, sensing their amusement.

"You know, vod, you can call him by name. We won't mind." Kote grit his teeth and rigidly refused to respond. It wasn't about who minded or not, it was about getting better control over himself.

"If that is all the questions?" No one spoke up. "Dismissed." As the men filed out of the room he tugged on his bond with Rex, stopping his brother in his tracks. Once the room was empty of all but the two of them he began to relax.

"What's up Kote? You feel... disoriented." That was one way to put it.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier." Rex stared at him, brow wrinkled in confusion. Suddenly it dawned on him and his brother's expression turned soft.

"Aw, Codes. You don't have to apologize for your feelings." Crossing his arms he leaned against the holotable. "If the situation was reversed I'd probably be feeling pretty frustrated and jealous too." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know I think you should go for it, right?" Kote rolled his eyes, he knew what Rex thought he should do. "Especially before we get to Kamino and Jan'buir decides to introduce himself to your General as his future father-in-law." Kote choked on his own spit.

"Jan'buir would nev- no... He definitely would." Kote wanted to bang his head against the wall. Repeatedly. Jango had already shown an interest in meeting Obi-wan and had even asked if he'd gotten him a courting gift yet. Which... to be fair he had. He'd just never had the time or courage to give it to Obi-wan. Since that would mean explaining what a courting gift was.

"If you need back-up just let me know. You know I'm here for you, ori'vod." Kote smiled at his younger brother.

"I know. Thanks Rex." His brother smiled before his expression became guarded.

"Oh, I was wondering, did you tell General Kenobi about our... hunter?" Rex's eyes shifted about the room, as if trying to sense for danger. To be fair he probably was.

"No. I didn't think it was safe. Why?" Rex's shoulders sagged.

"He's in trouble, ori'vod. Whatever the enemy leader is doing to him I don't think he'll be able to handle it too much longer. We need to get him an evac as soon as possible." Kote clenched his hands into fists.

"I'll get ahold of Haat'buir as soon as I can and let him know. Don't worry, Rex. We'll get him out of there." His brother nodded and their comms lit up.

"Looks like break time is over." His brother teased. Kote felt a strong sense of solidarity through their bond before the shields snapped shut again.

It was time to go home.


End file.
